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Darwin Awards
2009 Slush Pile

This item was recently submitted by a reader.
Should I include it in the archive?
Vote to tell me what *you* think!

Hot Water Heater Lucky

2009 Reader Submission
Pending Acceptance

This is my own personal story, although if it involved complete stupidity on my part, I would not be relating it.

At the time I owned a 4 plex in Scottsdale Arizona (it had been built in the 1960's). The project was to replace a very old hot water heater in one of the units. Being the very careful handyman that I am, I made sure that the elcetricity was off before proceeding. The hot water heater was then drained completely. Time to start work.

I was in the process of disconnecting the wiring when my left elbow touched the water heater. The electricy ran across my chest, throughy my heart, down my right arm and out that elbow. It held on to me for about 3 seconds before blowing me across the kitchen into the fridge.

I was concious and even drove myself to the hospital where I was promptly informed that that 1) there was nothing they could do for me and 2) that I should not have survived. It seems that the combination of 220 volts and 60 amps is enough to be instantly fatal almost all the time and that I was beyond lucky.

How did the electricity get turned back on you ask? Well that is simple, one of my other tenants thought it would be funny to give me "a shock". Not only did I evict them, the police thought it was a little less than funny as well.

Submitted on 05/20/2009

Submitted by: creeker000@yahoo.com
Reference: November 2002

Copyright © 2009 DarwinAwards.com

>> Moderator Scores <<

Bruce said:
Definitely Toss: No Self-Selection
Thanks, but this certainly isn't a case of stupidity on your part but as you and the police both realized it was the result of extreme stupidity of one of your ex-tenants. You can't be held responsible for the actions of that idiot.


Candi said:
Definitely Toss: No Self-Selection
What Bruce said. It's not your fault that you can't refuse to rent to someone just because they're a moron, and you are phenomonally lucky to have survived! Fortean Times ran a article on such survivors and it's _very_ rare. Thanks, Creeker, and submit again!


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