STRAY VOLTAGE

In 2006, a 14-year old girl, Deanna Green, touched a metal fence in Baltimore while she was playing in a church softball game. She was instantly killed by 280 volts of electricity that leaked from a damaged underground cable. 

Deanna was cut down by the phenomena of stray voltage. When electrical cable remains in the ground for a long time, the insulation deteriorates and the current can leak to a nearby metal source such as a lamppost, manhole cover, or fence. It could also electrify a nearby water pipe which ultimately leads to an exposed fire hydrant. Even the sidewalk itself can be electrified. Sometimes, the connection is more direct, when sloppy work crews installing a sign or lamppost may actually plant it right in the middle of underground wires.

If a person is standing in a puddle or is otherwise grounded and touches such an electrified item, the current will pass through his body. Pets are even more susceptible to this danger, as they wander around with bare feet which are in direct contact with the ground. Dogs urinating on an electrified fire hydrant are especially at risk.

A few years ago, a crew from the NBC Today show rode along one night in Washington, D.C. with Power Survey Company, a firm hired by power companies or cities to search for stray voltage.  In that one night alone, Power Survey located over forty objects such as street signs, light poles, and manhole covers which were electrified by stray voltage.  If you view the report of the story, you will witness Power Service using these fixtures to illuminate a light bulb and to generate huge electrical sparks.

Unfortunately, Deanna Green is not an isolated case, nor will she be the last one. Less than two percent of municipalities routinely check for stray voltage. The only reason why there are not thousands of fatalities each year is that under normal dry conditions, the soles of a person's shoes will usually, but not always, keep him from being grounded.

Therefore, when you perambulate around the city, avoid touching metal objects--even those which are not normally wired, such as signs. Obviously, if you do touch such an object and receive a shock, no matter how slight, you should report it immediately.