Sink Blockage Disaster

Read an horrific story of a plumber that was called to unblock a sink. He poured an acid solution down the plughole and there was a bang and he was thrown to the floor - died instantly from an electric shock !!
The couple touched him and got a shock. The child was overcome by the very strong fumes that had come back up from the sink ! Everyone rushed to hospital.
This really shocked me

Re: Sink Blockage Disaster

My goodness Patsy. Sounds a real disaster. Wonder why electricity was
somehow connected to the sink. Sounds really strange.
Poor people too.

Re: Sink Blockage Disaster

They mentioned the 'earth' of the sink - but its all greek to me .......

Re: Sink Blockage Disaster

Terrible! Surely even water would have done it too, not just this solution? Unless he was working on a new installation?

Re: Sink Blockage Disaster

Not a new installation Jazzi - must have been the acid solution

Re: Sink Blockage Disaster

Shall I explain a possible reason as to why it happened?

Re: Sink Blockage Disaster

Give it a go Joe

Re: Sink Blockage Disaster

I do know that earths are tied down to water pipes . but if the pipe was plastic , it would not act as an earth.

Re: Sink Blockage Disaster

Seems like the house wiring earth was wrongly connected to the waste pipe instead of the water supply pipe, and an earthing fault would have made the waste pipe ´live´ instead of tripping the breaker.

Re: Sink Blockage Disaster

Lead pipes are still to be found in old installations. Using acid to clear a blockage effectively creates a lead-acid battery. These are capable of high discharge rates. Touching one can in certain circumstances can allow the current to go through the body directly to earth creating an electric shock for the person.

A bit like dropping a switched on hair drier in the bath when you are in it.