An electricity worker in southern Bac Lieu province, in the South of Vietnam has suffered critical burns after being electrocuted while still trapped on the pole for half an hour on Jan 18.

The accident happened at around midday while 29-year-old Truong Ung Hue, worker of Bac Lieu Electricity Co., was making some repairs to the 22kv power line on Tran Phu street in Bac Lieu city.

Hue got a severe electric shock and was burned while still hanging on the pole, which is located right in front of the Bac Lieu High Tension Power branch of the Southern High Tension Power Grid Co. Two other workers were on the pole at that time, but they only watched on and could only do nothing to help Hue.

Witnesses said they heard a loud explosion and noticed Hue ablaze on the pole for half an hour before he was manually brought down to the ground by his colleagues.

Hue was rushed to a local clinic for emergency medical intervention before being taken to Ho Chi Minh City-based Cho Ray Hospital for specialized treatment.

Tran Quyen Du, vice director of the Bac Lieu Electricity Co. said that the company is launching an inspectorate to probe into the cause. The local police is also looking into the accident.