Man Electrocuted By Wedding Ring, Accidentally Touches ‘Live’ Wire
Police in South Florida have reported the death of a Port Orange man who died tragically after being electrocuted by his wedding ring. Jason Ferguson was killed Thursday in a South Dayton residence while he was installing a dishwasher for family members. Investigators believe the death by electrocution was caused by the wedding band coming into contact with an exposed wire, according to a Daily Mail news report on the disturbing incident.
The homeowner and brother-in-law, Albert Washington, and the dead man’s wife, Deidre Obenshin, were home at the time Ferguson’s fatal electrocution took place. They were preparing to sit down and have dinner together when they saw Ferguson, 33, in distress around 7 pm.
The man was in a kneeling position with his arm suspended behind the dishwasher at the residence. He was unresponsive and turning red at the time someone called the 911 emergency operator. Paramedics arrived a short time later and attempted CPR on Ferguson. He was rushed to a Volusia County hospital where he later died. His cause of death has not been determined, but sources say information from the early investigation shows the man died from being electrocuted via his wedding ring.
Washington and first responders say the man was likely killed while installing the appliance because his ring contacted a live element. Initially, he took precautions and cut power to the room. However, when the power was restored, he heard a loud noise and went in to troubleshoot the dishwasher. However, he must have forgotten to turn the power off again and touched a copper wire while wearing his wedding ring. He was instantly electrocuted.
Accidental electrocutions have been taking place for decades with troublesome rates and alarming statistics. According to The Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) in Washington, D.C., there are roughly 350 electrical-related fatalities on a yearly basis, or nearly one death per day. Moreover, the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) in Atlanta, GA says electrical-related accidents are the third-leading causes of workplace fatalities and 12 percent of all deaths on the job, while another 30,000 cases were non-fatal.
Residential electrocution cases, like the type that claimed the man’s life while he was wearing his wedding ring, happen around 70 times per year between 2007 and 2009. The major age group affected tends to be 40 to 59. Additionally, men are electrocuted seven times more than women.
The Florida man’s death from electrocution via his wedding ring appears to be the result of a tragic accident, and police have not indicated foul play at this time.
[Image via: News Daytona Beach]
