Mike Holt Enterprises Electrical News Source

Six-year old girl brain-damaged after shock from pool handrail

A 6-year-old girl has been left severely brain-damaged after being shocked touching an illuminated handrail at a DC-area resort - she can no longer walk or talk.

The New York Post reports that she went into cardiac arrest after 120 volts of electricity (10 times the amount needed to power the handrail lighting) jolted through her body. It's reported that a security guard rushed to try to pull Zynae off the railing and was also shocked, and so was her mother. Her family is now suing MGM, who they say haven't helped with any of her medical costs.

County investigators determined that faulty wiring related to "major" electrical code violations caused the incident. The lawsuit says that the botched wiring resulted from MGM's rush job to open the 23-acre resort in 2016 following the legalization of gambling in Maryland.

An MGM spokeswoman, in a statement to The Post, blamed the contractor it hired to do the electrical work.

Zynae suffered anoxic brain damage caused by a lack of oxygen. She remains in a semi-vegetative state, breathing on her own but only able to follow movement in the room with her eyes, the family's lawyer told the newspaper. Our hearts go out to her and her family, as they struggle and pray for a miracle.

Comments
  • Mike. I followed your link to (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mpgAVE4UwFw) watched the video.

    I have been trying for years (aircraft industry (20 years) to the CNC industry (20 years) ) to explain the difference with very little success.

    I will be using this video link, cause "can they both be crazy"

    Thank you for staying the course and making your best effort to help all concerned.

    God bless.

    Bob M

    ROBERT MCMANUS  December 2 2018, 2:24 am EST
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  • This is appalling, and worst of all it could have been avoided. No amount of money will ever restore this innocent child's life back to what it could have been. It makes me sick to see this kind of irreverence taken when dealing with such a serious matter regarding peoples lives and electrical systems.

    Ty Rutan  November 28 2018, 8:57 pm EST
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  • My question is about article 680.26 (B). As your bonding rails, handicap chairs, underwater lights, the grid around the pool. You take your ground wire to all those points that exist. You continue the ground wire to all the pumps, motors, heaters. Then you STOP the ground wire. It does not go back to the service equipment or panel boards does it? This code article states "shall not be required to be extended to or attached to remote panel boards, service equipment or panel boards". I have prints from real engineers showing it does go to panelboards and prints that show it does not. Can you clear this up?

    Kevin McGrath  November 28 2018, 7:56 pm EST
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  • A horrible and preventable accident. It may have happened that GFCIs were installed and this gave the impression to a stupid electrician and inspector that there was no danger of electrocution. This a false assumption in any case and certainly if the wiring is incorrectly installed. Not all electrocutions involve a ground fault. Even a 24 volt circuit can deliver a shock to disable and a 24 volt transformer should not be isolated in in these circumstances.

    bob  November 28 2018, 12:58 pm EST
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  • It seems like know one wants to take the blame this is not a joking matter.all of them should be accontable

    Simon  November 28 2018, 10:53 am EST
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  • Truly a shame and I'm sure everyone's harts go out to this family. As a contractor and former state Electrical Inspector, I must opin on this one.. This is very serious and why we have code enforcement. If this horrible situation isn't a result of mechanical or material failure then it falls to the AHJ and the project contractor and engineer. If there were permits pulled and inspections were performed, One thing is for sure, the customer isn't at fault no matter how fast they wanted to open... If inspections were performed and no work ( non permitted ), was done since the final/close out inpection was performed and it was not built to the engineering specifications..... This would fall on the AHJ! On the other hand, if the project was engineered incorrectly, and built to the specs, this could go back to plan review and the AHJ...who was watching the project??? Just a shame... This is s great reason for all electricians to pay attention to what we are doing and look over each other's work...someone should of caught this. We are on the front lines! It's about life safety at all times!

    Keith McKivergan  November 28 2018, 4:01 am EST
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  • It never seems to supprise how people always rush and leave major problems when insisting on thorough inspections and proper corrections. I have seen many respected persons take shortcuts only to regret it later. It should be understood that safety in all things comes first. It happened to me uknowingly and it has never happened again.

    Gib Bradbury CET I Eng(UK)  November 28 2018, 2:00 am EST
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  • This the result of unprofessional work standards. Broken hearts that fill that families world right now are a true travesty. Bond your equipment people

    Bryan Easterwood  November 28 2018, 1:36 am EST
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  • I will do my best to think of zynae On the rest of my installations and any quality/function questions I might have about installations I'm around. Thank you for making such a Pretty little lady. My eyes are more open. R.i.h. angel. Thanks for sharing this Mike holt.

    Jonathan carter  November 28 2018, 1:23 am EST
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  • Whenever you do work think about this little child who will never have a life. It's our responsibility to make sure the work is correct. How would you feel if this was your daughter ? On the job if you feel that due to rushing that it's unsafe REPORT IT. Don't let this happen on your watch. Step up and do the right work. What else on this mess is unsafe due to rushed and shoddy workmanship? Thanks for the article Mike.

    Kim Wilde  November 28 2018, 12:26 am EST
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  • A rush to open early does not cause an electrician to wire a handrail 120 volts. I want to know why the breaker did not trip

    Arnold Greene  November 28 2018, 12:23 am EST
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