17-year-old Irish teenager dies from electric shock while showering on Kimolos

A 17-year-old Irish teenager died on 9 August while showering during a family holiday on the small Aegean island of Kimolos, Greek authorities say.

The young man collapsed inside the bathroom of a stone house the family is believed to have rented for their stay on the island. A police officer responsible for the wider Aegean area told investigators that the death occurred in the shower and was caused by an electric shock.

Investigators focus on the wiring and certification

Authorities immediately ordered an expert inspection of the property's electrical installations. Investigators are concentrating on the condition of the wiring and the electrical cabinet after preliminary enquiries raised serious questions about safety.

According to a source familiar with the case, there is suspicion that the house's electrical system had not been substantially renovated since the 1970s, despite the building reportedly holding an updated certificate. Investigators are now trying to determine how such a certificate was issued and whether the installations actually met safety standards. The same source said the electrical panel allegedly lacked an appropriate safety device that could have cut power and possibly prevented the tragedy.

An autopsy was scheduled to take place at a hospital in Piraeus, near Athens. Hospital sources said the immediate cause of death is believed to be a cardiac arrest triggered by an electric shock. The Irish family will be given the opportunity to appoint their own technical expert to examine the findings.

The news shocked the tiny island, which has a population of under 1,000. The family was well known locally: the boy's mother is originally from Kimolos and the family were regular visitors. Mayor Kostas Vendouris said residents were "in mourning and shock", and local authorities described the incident as an unprecedented event that cast "a large black cloud" over the community.

A local resident described the family's condition as particularly severe. "The boy's mother is broken, as is his father. No one expects to lose a child in this way. This is unprecedented," he said. After the autopsy, the family is expected to fly the teenager's body back to Ireland for relatives and friends to say their farewells. The official investigation into the exact state of the house's electrics and any possible responsibility is continuing.

Photo: Принтскрин/Јутуб