Arcing Injuries in a Fatal Electrocution

Nagesh, K.R.; Kanchan, Tanuj; Rastogi, Prateek; Arun, M.

doi:10.1097/paf.0b013e3181875ad9

Cited by 8 publications

(4 citation statements)

References 14 publications

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“…Alternatively, high-voltage electricity can arc through nonconductive media, such as air. According to Paschen's law, the voltage necessary to form an arc current is a function of pressure and gap length, with distance traveled increasing nonlinearly with increasing voltage 13–15 . However, a typical microwave oven transformer of 2000 V would likely produce an arc current less than 1 cm, making this possibility unlikely.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Atypical Case of Fractal Wood Burning

Rohrer

Kallan

2023

Am J Forensic Med Pathol

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Fractal wood burning is a form of pyrography that uses high-voltage electricity to burn branching, Lichtenberg-type patterns into a wooden canvas. This process often uses electrical transformers salvaged from household appliances, such as microwave ovens, to amplify available voltage to potentially lethal levels. In this case, 2 individuals were found dead inside their burned residential garage. Initially, law enforcement was suspicious of a double homicide with subsequent arson. However, postmortem examination showed the decedents had neither fatal antemortem trauma nor significant natural disease. Findings consistent with smoke inhalation were absent, suggesting that the victims were deceased before the fire. Interestingly, one decedent had jumper cables in their hand, and their recent computer activity included fractal wood burning–related content. Upon further scene investigation, 2 microwave ovens were identified in the garage, one of which had been disassembled with its transformer found adjacent to the bodies. The decedents likely died from high-voltage electrocution with ignition of the wooden canvas starting the structural fire. Since the first reported case in 2016, there have been 33 reported deaths attributed to fractal wood burning. The current study would be the first to report multiple fatalities due to a single fractal wood burning event.

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Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Atypical Case of Fractal Wood Burning

Rohrer

Kallan

2023

Am J Forensic Med Pathol

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“…In addition, human and environmental factors such as physical and nutritional state and humidity can influence the resistance of the skin. Tissues such as fat, bone, and skin have relatively high resistance to electricity and therefore tend to increase in temperature and coagulate [2, 5]. The impact of the electrocution can increase if the skin is wet or if the electrocution occurs in a humid environment [2, 15].…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Most electrical injuries in adults are work-related injuries and are a repeatedly described cause of occupation-related death [2, 4]. A severe electrical burn injury can cause destructive injury with high morbidity, lifelong scars, and even death [5, 6].…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Burn wounds after electrical injury in a bathtub: a case report

2019

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Background Increased smartphone use among minors makes our population more prone to electrical injury. Despite regulations on electrical home safety standards, smartphones and chargers still pose a risk for severe injury among users. Case presentation We present a case of a patient with low-voltage electrical burns due to smartphone use in a bathtub. The 13-year-old Caucasian patient was using a smartphone plugged into the electrical grid while taking a bath. We report the burns and their treatment. We discuss the likely burn mechanism. Conclusions Burn wounds after electrical injury due to smartphone use are rare. The presented case shows the danger of smartphone use in bathtubs.

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“…Para todas las personas que tienen contacto con la electricidad, existe el riesgo de sufrir una potencial electrocución [2][3][4][5][6][7][8][9][10][11][12][13]; en este estudio, la mayor frecuencia de muertes se presentó en hombres (98,8%); por grupos de edad, la muerte se presentó con más frecuencia en personas entre 31 y 40 años de edad, denominados en edad productiva, principalmente en personas con ocupaciones afines a la manipulación de elementos de electricidad (26,7%), en actividad de tipo laboral (52,4%), seguidos de las actividades propias del hogar. Resultados similares presentan estudios publicados en Sudáfrica, donde la proporción de hombres que fallecieron por alto voltaje fue del 91,4% [3], en actividades laborales [2,14]; en el estudio de Mashreky [6], en el cual la proporción fue de 85% de electrocutados en los hombres y en el de Astuhuamán en Lima (Perú) [15], en el cual el 93% eran hombres, electricistas (27%) que fallecen en una actividad laboral (51%).…”

Section: Discussionunclassified

Análisis epidemiológico-forense de las electrocuciones en Colombia durante 2010-2014.

Valbuena

2017

Colomb. forense

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Cómo citar este artículo: Tejada-Valbuena A, Téllez-Rodríguez NR. Análisis epidemiológico-forense de las electrocuciones en Colombia durante 2010. Colomb Forense. 20164(1):55-63. doi: http://dx.doi.org/10.16925/cf.v4i1.1737 Resumen. Introducción: El presente estudio permitió identificar las característi-cas de las personas electrocutadas en Colombia en el periodo 2010-2014, tanto en las variables sociodemográficas como en los principales hallazgos en la necropsia. Materiales y métodos: Se realizó un estudio observacional descriptivo, retrospectivo, con información obtenida de los informes de necropsia del Instituto Nacional de Medicina Legal y Ciencias Forenses. Resultados y discusión: Se analizaron 899 casos de electrocución, el 92,8% corresponde a hombres; el 52,4% de las personas estaba trabajando en el momento de la muerte y el 71,5% de los electrocutados era del área urbana de Colombia. Se determinaron las tasas de mortalidad de las ciudades con mayor frecuencia de electrocuciones en Colombia y se compararon con la tasa nacional. El 63,4% de las electrocuciones fue por alto voltaje y se determinaron los sitios de entrada y salida de la corriente, con una proporción de casos con extensa quemadura. Se encontró una asociación estadísticamente significativa entre el voltaje y hallazgos en la piel; sin embargo, no se encontró asociación entre el tipo voltaje y los hallazgos al examen interno. La mayoría de las muertes fueron accidentales, mientras que se encontró un caso de homicidio y un caso de posible suicidio. Conclusiones: Las muertes por electrocución representan un problema oculto en muchas ciudades de Colombia, con características sociodemográficas susceptibles de prevención por los estamentos gubernamentales. El perito forense debe conocer los conceptos y hallazgos típicos y atípicos de las electrocuciones de acuerdo con el contexto de los hechos, tipo de voltaje y hallazgos para realizar un abordaje adecuado de la necropsia.Palabras clave: Colombia, electrocuciones, epidemiología forense.

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Arcing Injuries in a Fatal Electrocution

Cited by 8 publications

References 14 publications

Atypical Case of Fractal Wood Burning

Atypical Case of Fractal Wood Burning

Burn wounds after electrical injury in a bathtub: a case report

Análisis epidemiológico-forense de las electrocuciones en Colombia durante 2010-2014.

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