Minor dies in electrocution incident in Tbilisi’s Vake Park fountain

A 13-year-old girl has died from injuries sustained in an electrocution incident in Tbilisi’s Vake Park recreational area on Thursday, doctors of the University Clinic in Tbilisi have confirmed. 

The tragic development follows the incident reported by local media, in which three minors were injured after attempting to retrieve a ball that had fallen into the recently renovated fountain in the park.

One of the other minors is in critical condition and undergoing treatment under artificial ventilation at the New Hospitals clinic in the city, while the third remains at the Children's Central Hospital with minor injuries.

The Georgian interior ministry has launched an investigation for “breach of safety regulations during the placement, design, construction or other works”, and has already summoned several individuals for interviews. 

Expressing his “deep sorrow” over the incident, Tbilisi mayor Kakha Kaladze named Greenservice as a major contractor in the renovation work of the popular park, with the recreational area reopening to the public on Wednesday.

Kaladze said the work on the infrastructure had been completed “long before” the opening of the park and that “everything had been checked [with the latest check conducted on August 29]”. He said he was “shocked by the tragedy” and promised those responsible would be “strictly punished”. 

The second phase of the cascade and fountain renovation in Vake Park was completed on Wednesday, with the city hall spending ₾6,500,000 ($2.3mln ) on the project.