Thu, Nov 20, 2008

Report blames Tucson boy's electrocution on faulty wiring

By Rob O'Dell
Arizona Daily Star
Tucson, Arizona | Published: 10.09.2008
A city investigation blames Fluoresco Lighting and Signs for the electrocution death of 8-year-old Deshun Chance Glover, at Hi Corbett Field on July 25.
Glover was electrocuted when a storm hit during an American Legion baseball game he was watching. The report says lightning that evening “did not have any causal effect on this accident.”
The city report says Fluoresco failed to properly insulate a splice when they made repairs to a steel junction box in September 2007.That failure resulted in a “ground fault” that Glover came in contact with.
"The failure of the Fluoresco workmen to eliminate that hazard was clearly below the minimum standard of care for a professional tradesman,'' the report reads.
The city report said the ground fault was exacerbated by a problem with a Tucson Electric Power Co. transformer that prevented a circuit breaker from tripping and eliminating the hazard.
TEP has notified the city it disagrees with portions of the report.
Attorney Daryl A. Audilett has said the report would be “well documented and self-explanatory,” and the city will have no further comment after its release.
Stay tuned to StarNet for updates