This individual died after getting electrocuted, an electric arc formed and burned away part of his neck. An electric arc, or arc discharge, is an electrical breakdown of a gas that produces a prolonged electrical discharge. The current through a normally nonconductive medium such as air produces a plasma; the plasma may produce visible light. It almost sounds like something out of a science fiction novel; out of nowhere, within milliseconds, heat hotter than the sun occurs, everything surrounding you melts, including metal. The burns you suffer are horrific.
Fig.1
An arc flash is the result of an arc fault and is the visible part of the fault, resulting in heat and light. It occurs when energy is rapidly released and travels from one phase Busbar to another phase Busbar, or from a phase Busbar to the ground. During an arc flash, the air acts as a conductor, basically becoming a short-circuit in the air. An arc fault is one of the most devastating and deadly electrical problems experienced. The resultant discharge and electrical explosion cause significant damage to nearby equipment. The discharge is also a severe problem for anybody in the area as well.
Fig.2
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