Entangled live wire, low visibility behind Taplejung jeep fire: Probe panel

KATHMANDU: An investigation into the April 21 tragedy in Taplejung, where four passengers died in a fire after their jeep struck a live electric wire, has identified major technical failures, including a loose insulator, poor visibility and a malfunctioning safety system, as a cause of the incident.

The vehicle en route to the popular Pathibhara temple from the district headquarters, Fungling, in the early morning caught fire after it came into contact with a live wire. Four people lost their lives in the incident, while two others sustained serious injuries.

Following the incident, the government formed a four-member committee under Superintendent Engineer of the Electricity Development Department, Nutan Prakash Sharma, to probe the incident. The committee submitted its report to the Minister for Energy, Water Resources and Irrigation, Deepak Khadka, on Friday.

Receiving the report, Minister Khadka described the tragedy as a serious failure on the part of the state. He called for immediate corrective action and reiterated a zero-tolerance policy toward negligence in electricity distribution.

The investigation concluded that the accident was caused by a combination of factors: a loose insulator on the utility pole, limited visibility at the time, the vehicle’s roof coming into contact with a live electric wire and the failure of the safety mechanism to cut off the power supply.