It has blamed the death on bad weather.

The incident was unexpected as the heavy rains had flooded the street,€ Director Tran Trong Hue city said Thursday.

The power box of lamp post No. 86 was submerged under water for a long time, causing the wires to come out and electrify the metal lamp post,€ Hue said.

Asked if lamp posts in the city are not designed and built to ensure the safety of local residents, Hue simply said.

€œI think city residents have to protect themselves by not going near or touching electric poles and lamp posts, especially during rains and when the streets are flooded.

Co Quoc Duy and two his school mates were riding their bicycles on Tran Hung Dao Street at around 7:20 p.m. on Monday when they were all electrocuted, District 5 police said. Duy was pronounced dead on arrival at the hospital while his friends have survived.

After the accident, the lighting company has taken several measures to improve safety of city lamp posts like installing more circuit breakers and sealing electrical connections with glue to prevent exposure to water, Hue said.

When asked why his company had waited to act until the accident, Hue said 16 units responsible for lighting up the city always conducted regular checks of lamp posts before the rainy season began.

That's why I think it'simpossible that there was a power leak from the lamp post before, he said.

Duy's family is planning to file a lawsuit against the Public Lighting Company for causing his death, VietNamNet reported Thursday, citing lawyer Co Le Huy, who is Duy's uncle.

Reported by Phuong Thanh