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>> Warren Angell: We take power from the grid and convert
it to 25,000 volts through a sub-station
like this to power the overhead line
system. If you compare it against
the electric chair, you're talking
10 times more powerful.
[electrical crackle]
Well, the danger is electrocution.
Which is horrific for anybody
who sees it.
A lad went up the structure,
touched the 25kV system,
it killed him instantly
and the coins in his pocket just melted.
>> Dr. Claire Linge: As soon as the high voltage hits the
limb the first thing that happens is the
fat within the limb actually melts.
The muscles go into spasm
and they basically hold onto the thing
that's giving them the electric shock.
[electrical crackle]
The electricity actually enters the body
and does a massive amount of destructive
damage internally.
>> Warren Angell: The victim is always burnt badly
whether it be internally or externally.
The clothes that you're wearing
set alight and you get massive surface
burning of the skin.
[electrical crackle]
You don't actually have to
touch the wire.
In certain atmospheric conditions the
power will flash over to you.
[electrical crackle]
>>Dr. Claire Linge: The amount of damage that you get from
an electrical shock depends on where the
shock enters the body and where it comes
out. If it enters on one arm and comes
out of another arm it will go across the
heart and will cause the heart to stop.
[electrical crackle]
>> Warren Angell: Within the system there are circuit
breakers which detect the fault.
But by the time these trip...
...it's too late.
>> Dr. Claire Linge: Our rule of thumb to calculate the
likelihood of death from an injury is to
add the age of the patient to the
percentage burn that they have.
So, say for instance you have a
30 year old who has 60% burns,
then they're 90% likely
to die from that injury.