Viliame Ta’eofa is grateful to be alive after realising he almost bumped onto the loose Fiji Electricity Authority (FEA) power line at the junction of Cunningham and Wainitarawau Road last Saturday.

This was the same loose power line that electrocuted a student from Gau, 15-year-old Seteo Saumaisue, at around 9pm on December 30, 2017.

Viliame, 17, was going through his daily exercise routine when he saw what happened to Seteo.

“I ran up the hill in Cunningham twice from Stage One to Tamavua. The first time I ran up the wire had not fallen yet,” he said.

“The second time I was coming back. I was 40 or 50 metres away and could see three kids near the lamp post. One of them was the boy from Gau and two small children.”

After learning of what transpired Viliame said he was counting his lucky stars.

“I actually didn’t see the line and almost ran into it. The next thing I saw was the boy from Gau in a crouching position and the two smaller boys looking at him,” Viliame said.

“I thought he was just joking around and playing with the boys when he was down so I ran past them and went home, but I only realised what happened when I was watching the news.”

Since the tragic incident Viliame is still trying to come to terms with what could have happened to him.

Fiji Electricity Authority’s chief executive Hasmukh Patel said he would respond to our questions today.

Edited by Percy Kean.

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