A Vietnamese man who became famous for his ability to conduct electricity

through his body has died from electric shock, police said Tuesday.

Nguyen Van Hung, who was also affectionately known as "Mr Electricity," was

killed Thursday while trying to fix a water pump.

"He was repairing the electric pump while in bare feet," said Tran Van Dung,

deputy director of the police department in Vietnam's southern Ca Mau

province. "He died when he got a shock from the 220-volt current."

Hung became known for his ability to conduct electricity after he appeared

on a national television program last year.

"He could use his body as part of the electrical wire to light up a lamp or

make an electric fan work," said Dung, who saw the program on VTV3.

Hoa Thanh Tung, the producer of the show, "Vietnam's Odd Things," which

featured Hung's unique "talent," said he was stunned when he learned that

Hung died from an electrical shock.

"On the show, he directly touches a bare wire with a 220-volt current," said

Tung. "He also used his tongue to lick an electric wire. He was an amazing

and extraordinary man."

Despite his fame, Hung had recently fallen on difficult times. His shrimp

business collapsed and he went bankrupt, owing $20 000 (about R147 000). At

the time of his death, Hung was living in a pagoda, practicing the tenets of

Buddhism.

"Many people in the commune think that when he became a vegetarian he lost

his ability to resist electrical shocks," said Dung, of the police

department. - Sapa-dpa

Submitted on 09/14/2006

Submitted by: Anonymous
Reference: News.com.au

Copyright © 2006 DarwinAwards.com

James said:
Neutral: Darwin Award
OK, now I am getting a better idea of who this "electric man" was. Sounds like the sort of guy you could make a one-hour TV movie about! Yes, he had all the complacence necessary for something stupid like attempting to fix a 220 volt water pump IN BARE FEET. Yep, he had it coming to him. The new info pushes me towards a DA, and we've gotten a LOT of submissions on this one. What say the readers?

Fitzroy said:
Definitely Keep: For Darwin's Eyes
Here, here! I was hoping for more information, and "water pump + bare feet" is information enough for me. It sounds like the man died straying from his act rather than emulating it. Yet those specifics would score highly on a stupidity scale, if there was one. I've already voted negative on a huge number of "Mr. Electricity" submissions, but I believe most of the relevant information is all duplicated in this one, with much more besides.

Sheryl said:
Neutral: For Darwin's Eyes
Thanks for the story. I'm really, really neutral on this one. I have to admit the story does nothing for me. I'd have thought licking an electric wire was more or less akin to what actually killed him. Darwin can sort this one out.

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