Today I received a mail delivering me a shocking news of a boy's death due to camera's flashlight. At first I thought it was a hoax but after certain research over the internet this seems quite possible. This was the mail which I received:
Can current travel through Flash light of camera to your body? yes it is 100% true
Yesterday morning, one Mr. Aditya Suresh Joshi, age 19, studying in 1st year of engineering, died in Keshvani Hospital, Mumbai. He was admitted in Keshavani Hospital as burned patient.Reason4 days back this boy had gone to Amravati (One of the district place located in State of Maharashtra ) on study tour. After their study was over, he, his classmates & his teachers, all of them were standing on "Badnera" railway station to catch the train. "Badnera" is the name of the railway station for" Amravati " city. As soon as they arrived on Badnera Railway station, many of them started taking pictures of their friends using "Mobile Phones" and/or "Digital Camera". One of them complained that, in his camera, he was not able to capture more number of friends in one frame. He was not able to catch the angle. Another boy suggested that let's climb on train boogie and take picture so that all of them can be accommodated in single frame.At that there was one goods wagon (all of them were oil tankers) train resting between 2 main railway lines. Kumar Aditya climbed up oil boogie. Above his head, 40,000 volts electrical line was passing through. As soon as he clicked the digital camera? 40,000 volt current passed through the camera flash light to his camera and then from his camera to his fingers and then from his fingers to his body. All this happened within fraction of minutes. Next moment he was thrown from the top. His body was half burned on the spot.At that time, his father was traveling in Bangkok . His many friends in Pune came to know about this via mobile SMS. They instantly arranged air ambulance in Amravati and his burned body was brought to Keshavani Hospital , Mumbai. For 1 and 1/2 day or so he was talking to his relatives. When he was admitted to the hospital, at that time only, doctor informed his relatives that don't keep great hopes. Because of lot of complex issues in half burned body. He died yesterday morning.Now how many of us are aware about this technological threats & dangers? Honestly, Kumar Aditya and his father were not aware. His family was not aware. There entire friend circle of more than 12,000, were not aware. Now should we call ourselves as fully educated and fully knowledgeable people? Please Think of it.Please avoid mobile phones on petrol outlets.Please avoid talking on mobile phones while driving. Many do not bother about this good suggestion and opt for "Chalta Hai Attitude".Please avoid talking on mobile phones while they are in charging mode.Please avoid charging mobile phones near Your bed and/or near wooden furniture. Avoid mobile phones near high voltage electrical lines like railway stations and use flash lights.We all learned our lesson with loss of young life. Now Would You like to empower Your friends about this accident so as to avoid future accidents? We can save human life by empowering all the IT users who are in Your network?What can we do ?Please request you to send this very important life threateninginformation to your loved ones.....
I did search over and found out that electronic flash, as used on and in cameras, needs a high-voltage discharge across the flash-tube to initiate the intense burst of light. This is achieved by charging up a 'reservoir' capacitor to store the power needed for the flash until it is required. When the flash activates the capacitor discharges, initiating the high-voltage discharge but this action also generates an intense electromagnetic field. It can be this field which smoothened the flow between the power-line and the camera.
The quote from a forum site explains an earlier experience of getting shock from a battery-less camera during operation. The vital experience provided by the quote says:
That said, many would still not believe the fact untill googling or until Einstein/Faraday states it after a re-birth :P You can discuss on this topic to get numerous other views, but the bottom-line remains the same: Take Care :)When i was around 15, i got a strong electrical shock while repairing my camera.(even when it had no batteries or other connection!) later i found out that it was because the cameras use high potential to generate flash light, and for this they use a high value capacitor, (and i don't think i want to give the definition of capacitor.), and as i conclude, the current which passed through the digital camera of that unfortunate boy was because of the discharging of the capacitor while flashing and attracting the high amperes passing above. THE FLASH DID NOT ATRACTED THE CURRENT, it was because of the LC (inductor-capacitor) circuit and field generation.PROOF: I am an Electronics and Telecommunication Engineering student in 3rd year, and I’ve consulted my HOD about this topic. (I’ll give you his number if you ask!!)
