Construction Worker Dies from Electrocution While Repairing Ceiling in Bantul

A construction worker was found dead on the ceiling of a house in Nitipuran, Ngestiharjo, Kasihan, Bantul. Police said the cause of death was suspected to be electrocution.

Kasihan Police public relations officer Iptu Rita Hidayanto said the victim, Sugiarto (63), a resident of Suryodiningratan, Mantrijeron, Yogyakarta, had been working with colleagues on a building project in Kasihan on Friday afternoon. At around 4 p.m., Sugiarto was not seen preparing to go home.

This raised the suspicion of one of his colleagues, Wakimin (53), because the victim’s motorbike was still parked in the yard of the house where he was working. Wakimin then searched for him and asked other colleagues.

Another colleague, Agung Waluyo (49), told Wakimin that Sugiarto had been working on the ceiling area. Wakimin then climbed a bamboo ladder to check above the ceiling.

Once above the ceiling, Wakimin called the victim’s name repeatedly but received no response. He then searched for the victim and saw the victim’s stomach area, already motionless.

Realising his colleague was not moving, Wakimin shouted for help from Agung. Hearing the shout, Agung climbed up to the ceiling carrying a torch because it was already dusk.

After both witnesses found the victim completely motionless, they climbed down from the ceiling and reported the incident to the project foreman. The foreman then reported it to Kasihan Police. Shortly afterwards, police, medical staff from Kasihan 2 Community Health Centre and the forensic team from Bantul Police arrived at the scene.

Examination found no signs of violence on the victim’s body, but there was a burn wound five centimetres long on the palm of his right hand. The body had already experienced rigor mortis and was estimated to have been dead for about five hours before the examination was carried out.

Based on the examination, the victim was indicated to have been electrocuted while working. Rita added that the victim’s family had accepted the tragedy with sincerity and regarded the incident as a pure workplace accident.