Five persons were confirmed killed while four others were severely injured Monday evening after they were electrocuted while erecting a billboard along the East-West Road in Port Harcourt.
It was gathered the billboard touched high tension cables leading to their electrocution.
It was further learnt that the billboard belonging to a new generation church was being mounted around the Obiri-Ikwerre flyover axis in Rumuosi community of the State.
The victims were said to be artisans, who were contracted by the church to mount the billboard.
The bodies of the dead victims and those that were injured were taken to the University of Port Harcourt Teaching Hospital (UPTH) by sympathizers.
A friend to one of the deceased victims, Emmanuel Osita, said some of those involved were welders who fabricate metals along Ikwerre Road in Port Harcourt.
Osita said: “In the process of installing the billboard under the high tension, the billboard touched the high tension cables and they were electrocuted. About five of them died immediately, and four others were seriously injured.
“It is not as if they were members of the church, they were called by the church to come and install the billboard.”
