A tragic incident in Montefalione, southern Italy, serves as a stark reminder of the dangers of using electronic devices near water. 16-year-old Maria Antonietta Cutillo lost her life in a devastating accident that occurred while she was in the bathtub at her parent’s home.
The teenager was reportedly home alone when she decided to take a bath and continue talking on her phone, which was low on battery.
In an attempt to keep the conversation going, Cutillo plugged her phone into a nearby port and leaned over the side of the tub to use it. Tragically, during the call, Maria suddenly went silent, and the phone line went dead. This abrupt end to the call alarmed her friend, who promptly alerted emergency services.
By the time responders reached the house, it was too late. Maria had been electrocuted, presumably after accidentally dropping her charging phone into the water.
Following the accident, Maria’s body was taken to the morgue of the Moscati hospital in Avellino, marking a sorrowful end to a young life.
Unfortunately, such incidents are not isolated. A similar case occurred in 2017 in west London, where a 32-year-old man died after his iPhone charger contacted water. These heart-wrenching incidents have spurred warnings from safety organizations about the risks of mixing electricity with water.
Steve Curtler, a product safety manager for the charity Electrical Safety First, spoke to the BBC about the inherent dangers. “Although the cable that is plugged into your phone is 5V, somewhere along the line it’s plugged into the electricity supply, and you’re reliant on that cable and a transformer to avoid contact with the main voltage,” he explained.
Curtler emphasized the risks, particularly in a bathroom setting: “You’re wet, which conducts electricity a lot better; you’re in the bath with no clothes on, so skin resistance is less. You’re vulnerable in the bathroom.”
Public health advisor Sheila Merrill echoed these concerns, stressing the importance of awareness. “People need to be aware of taking an electrical appliance into the bathroom… You’re risking death. Electricity and water don’t mix, but particularly with phones, people probably don’t always think about it,” she said, advising against using devices while they are plugged in, especially in bathrooms.
These tragic events and expert warnings highlight the critical need for caution and safety awareness when using electronic devices near water to prevent such needless losses.