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The family of a young man who was fatally electrocuted by a faulty power cable has expressed concerns that insufficient measures are in place to prevent similar tragedies in the future. Harry Oates, aged 29, was jogging along a public footpath in Cumbria when he came into contact with a low-hanging live electrical cable, resulting in his immediate death. Born in Kendal and working in Bristol, Harry had been visiting his parents at the time of the incident in October 2023.
An inquest examining the circumstances surrounding Harry’s death described it as the result of a “rare and complex” situation. While the coroner determined that Electricity North West Limited (ENWL), the company responsible for managing the power line, was not directly accountable, they urged the Energy Networks Association (ENA) to collaborate with its members in order to reduce the risk of similar occurrences in the future. ENWL has stated it will continue working with the ENA to learn from this tragic accident.
Harry’s father, Malcolm Oates, found his son’s body on the footpath after he did not return from his run. Malcolm expressed deep grief and frustration, describing his initial shock and disbelief at the scene. He criticized ENWL for showing little empathy toward their family and accused the company of relying heavily on documentation to defend their maintenance procedures. Malcolm also criticized the Health and Safety Executive (HSE), which had investigated the incident, claiming the regulator had failed in its duty to protect the public. A spokesperson for the HSE responded that no significant legal breaches were identified during their investigation, and the coroner’s report described the death as a tragic accident caused by an unusual and complex chain of events.
Malcolm referenced a similar fatal case from 2012 involving Dr. James Kew, who was electrocuted by a fallen live cable on a public pathway in Essex. The fault had been reported earlier to UK Power Networks, but the power was not cut off. Malcolm stated his belief that ENWL and the wider electrical industry have hidden behind following bureaucratic processes without taking necessary proactive action. The family’s legal representatives are considering further steps to seek accountability.
Following the inquest, a prevention of future deaths report revealed that the power line had remained live despite the cable hanging low due to a fault not reported to the operator. The issue was linked to voids found in the cement surrounding the cable insulators. ENWL tested 260 insulators and discovered that 73% had such voids. As a result, the company stopped using the affected type of insulator and has initiated a replacement program at approximately 8,000 sites. Additionally, they implemented a policy of patrolling lines within 48 hours in cases where a similar fault is detected. ENWL continues to express sympathy toward Harry’s family, emphasizing the incident’s unforeseeable and complex nature as noted by both the coroner and the HSE
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