Five people in Indiana were electrocuted in a freak accident while swimming in a backyard pool, local police said.
Officers responded to a Logansport family’s home around 2:35 p.m. on Sunday after receiving a report that two juveniles could have been shocked, a Logansport Police Department (LPD) spokesperson told FOX 59.
When police and medical personnel arrived at the scene, they realized that a total of five people — three juveniles and two adults — suffered injuries from being electrocuted in the pool.
The kids were all 16 years of age or younger, and two of the people were unresponsive when first responders arrived, the outlet reported.
All five were transported to local hospitals in serious but stable condition.
The victims said they “felt a vibration in the water, and the dad yelled to shut the sump pump off,” police Chief Travis Yike told FOX 59.
“It’s an unfortunate accident, but, fortunately, everyone is doing okay,” he added.
Upon the initial investigation, police said a protective cover on a wire on the pool’s pump was pinched and broken, causing it to send an electrical current through the water.
According to Yike, one of the teens in the pool may have saved the other swimmers’ lives.
“I do want to give accolades to that young man that was in the pool when this happened,” the chief said. “And [he] was also injured but took it upon himself — once the power was shut off — to jump out and recognize what was going on and save his dad and his sister and his sister’s friends’ lives.”
Neighbors of the family said the teen hero is a lifeguard.
“If it wasn’t for the heroic acts of a 16-year-old juvenile that was involved in this, it may have turned out a lot different,” Yike said.
“Definitely say prayers for the family and a quick recovery on this incident,” he added.
No criminal foul play is suspected, the LPD confirmed.
One of the juveniles was still hospitalized as of Monday afternoon, but all victims are expected to survive, the local outlet noted.
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