A Taiwan Power Co (Taipower) employee who was electrocuted last week while repairing power lines in Chiayi County passed away yesterday after his family decided to withdraw life support.
Lee Yuan-han (李元瀚), 36, received a high-voltage electric shock estimated at 6,000 volts that entered through his left hand and exited through his right hand while making emergency repairs on a power line damaged by Typhoon Danas in Yizhu Township (義竹) on Tuesday last week.
He was rushed to Chi Mei Hospital, Liouying in Tainan and placed on life support.
Photo: Lin Yi-chang, Taipei Times
Lee was taken off life support after several days of medical efforts, his father told a news conference at the hospital alongside hospital staff.
This would allow him to maintain his final dignity and fulfill his wish of becoming an organ donor, Lee’s father said.
His father said he could not bear to see Lee surviving only through artificial life support and did not want to prolong his suffering.
Photo: Wang Han-ping, Taipei Times
He also expressed his gratitude to hospital personnel, Taipower, President William Lai (賴清德) and many others for their concern.
“Yuan-han, Dad loves you and will always be proud of you,” he said, choking back tears.
Hospital staff bowed and bade farewell as a vehicle carrying Lee’s body left the hospital to take him back to Chiayi, with seven Taipower pickup trucks following close behind.
Photo: Wang Han-ping, Taipei Times
The high-voltage electric shock caused Lee to have an out-of-
hospital cardiac arrest, intensive care doctor Liu Hao-hsun (劉浩熏) said.
He managed to regain a faint heartbeat after emergency resuscitation, but after a week of nonstop treatment, he sustained permanent damage to his major organs, Liu said.
The president felt deep sorrow upon hearing the news, Presidential Office spokesperson Karen Kuo (郭雅慧) said yesterday.
Kuo conveyed Lai’s sincere appreciation for Lee’s efforts and perseverance throughout his more than 10 years of service at Taipower, including mentoring younger employees.
Lai expressed hope that his family would find strength at this time, and commended their decision to donate Lee’s organs so that his love would continue to live on in this world, Kuo said.
The president would issue a commendation order to Lee on behalf of the country to thank him for his selfless dedication, Kuo said.
Typhoon Danas, which hit Taiwan on July 6 and 7, toppled more than 2,400 power poles and left more than 1 million households without electricity.
Ongoing heavy rains in southern Taiwan slowed restoration efforts, with hundreds of homes without power days after the storm.
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