Boy, 4, Has Double Amputation After Electric Shock

This young boy lost both arms after a freak electrocution accident split his flesh open and charred off his fingers just 11 days before his birthday.

Wen Enlai, four, was playing on the grounds of a factory where his grandad works when he accidentally touched a high-voltage distribution transformer on 18th March.

The boy from the town of Wanshan, in Wusheng County in Sichuan Province in south-western China, was referred to Southwest Hospital in the neighbouring city of Chongqing for emergency treatment.

Video Credit: AsiaWire / Zhang Lingling

His burned arms and fingers began suffering life-threatening tissue death, leaving his doctor, Zhan Rixing, no choice but to amputate both limbs on 23rd March.

“His vital signs are stable, but the tissue on his arms was necrotic when he arrived,” Doctor Zhan reported.

He added: “We had to amputate in order to save his life, or else his body wouldn’t have been able to cope with the necrosis.”

Enlai’s mum, Zhang Lingling, told Asia Wire she and her husband earn just 20,000 RMB (2,310 GBP) a year as migrant workers.

Enlai is in stable condition and has been moved out of the burn ward ICU, but she has not been told how long he will need to remain hospitalised, she added.

Ms Zhang recalled: “His grandfather called me and told me to come back quickly.

“He said my child had been in an accident. I’d only been gone three days.

“I begged and borrowed nearly 100,000 RMB (11,550 GBP) and had him sent to Chongqing’s Southwest Hospital.

“They have the best burn ward, but his doctor told me they would need to amputate both arms from his shoulders.

“And now he’s comforting me, telling me not to cry, saying he’ll be fine. He understands what he’s facing.”

The Shuyu Feed Factory, which manufactures pig feed, has offered just 23,000 RMB (2,660 GBP) towards Enlai’s treatment, which has been estimated at 350,000 RMB (40,435 GBP), Ms Zhang said.

The family has turned to charity crowdfunding platform Shuidichou for donations, which totalled 207,447 RMB in (23,966 GBP) from more than 9,000 contributors at the time of writing.

Ms Zhang said she is “gravely concerned” for her child’s future.

Donations can also be made via WeChat Pay and Alipay at Zhang Lingling 13982625174.


To find out more about the author, editor or agency that supplied this story – please click below.
Story By: John FengSub-EditorJoseph Golder, Agency: Asia Wire Report

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