By Julie Tullberg
May 20, 2007 12:00am
Article from: AAP


A 21-YEAR-OLD man is fighting for his life after suffering an electric shock while standing in a water puddle in Melbourne's west.

The Footscray man and a friend were exploring a vacant warehouse in Barnool Ave in Yarraville when trouble struck about 7pm (AEST) yesterday.

“It appears the Footscray man climbed up onto a second-storey mezzanine floor and came into contact with bare wires from a large electrical transformer,” Victoria Police spokeswoman Sheree Argento said.

“Police estimate the man was subjected to 470 volts, made worse by the fact that he was standing in a puddle of water at the time.”

He was found 30 minutes later by his friend, a 21-year-old from Altona who had been exploring another part of the building.

“The man sustained extensive burns to his left arm and other serious injuries and was taken to Royal Melbourne Hospital, where he remains in a life-threatening condition,” Ms Argento said.

Ms Argento said it was believed the men visited the warehouse after logging onto a website that urged people to explore drains and vacant buildings.

http://www.news.com.au/story/0,23599,21762751-1702,00.html