Three children and two adult staffers died after suffering electrocution at a waterpark in Turkey.
According multiple press accounts, the children, aged 12 to 17, were in a waterpark swimming pool in the country’s Sakarya province. When the 58-year-old owner saw the teenagers in distress, he called his 30-year-old son to help rescue them. The adults jumped in the pool and were also electrocuted.
Others on the staff disabled the power, but the five could not be saved. A sixth person was treated for injuries, while two others were hurt when they touched metal railings.
Turkish media outlet The Daily Sabah, which some describe as a pro-government daily, quoted reports that an electrical cable had fallen into the pool. Several cables lay around the area as a renovation was taking place, the outlet added.
An investigation is taking place. The Daily Sabah quoted unnamed officials who inspected the property and said the pool had no residual current device, which are meant to break an electrical circuit to prevent shock from occuring, similar to ground fault circuit interrupters in the U.S.
Lately, a handful of electrical incidents have been reported around swimming pools, both commercial and residential. However, waterpark experts in the U.S. state that these properties are very safe, as these properties around the country must comply with the National Electrical Code article 680, which specifies grounding and bonding for electrical and metallic components that could affect the pool water.
“This tragic event reminds us that safety is and must always be our top priority,” said Rick Root, president of the World Waterpark Association. “… Widespread adoption and compliance with the NEC and similar codes around the globe has greatly improved electrical safety around pools, spas and waterparks, and the WWA encourages all aquatic operators to be vigilant in ensuring their facilities are compliant with these lifesaving codes.”