(Okoboji)– Faulty electrical wiring on a dock has been sited as the cause of a fish kill on West Lake Okoboji.
Officials with the Iowa Department of Natural Resources were called to the scene of the fish kill Friday and discovered a charred electrical outlet on a nearby dock. The outlet was connected to a couple of hoists with personal water craft on them. An electrician arrived on the scene and discovered the outlet had a short in it which had electrically charged the metal frame of the hoists, which also charged the water.
A news release described the fish kill as minimal, stating that only “a few fish were killed”.
But officials say the incident could have been much worse as some adults and children were in the water nearby.
Mike Hawkins of the DNR says it’s a reminder for dock owners to make sure any electrical connections are properly wired. He says short circuits can be deadly as they usually aren’t discovered until someone gets shocked.
