Quebec students caught on video climbing Hydro tower

Hydro-Qubecofficialswill visit a high school in Sainte-Adle today to warn students about the dangers of climbing transmission towers after some oftheir peers were captured on video climbing one.

The video, shot by a 12-year-old Augustin-Norbert-Morin high school student earlier this week, shows at least two other students climbing the structure.

The boy who filmed the video is heard yelling:"You're going to get electrocuted, you're going to die." The video was filmed off school grounds, during the students' lunch hour.

Marie-Anne Pasieka, the mother of the boy who filmed the video, says the students probably haveno idea of the potential danger.

"Just to hear my son's voice crying out to help, for the kids to come down, I had tears in my eyes, because it's so emotional and I can't imagine if, God forbid, something would have happened," she said.

Potentially 'disastrousconsequences'

As soon as her son showed her his video, she contacted the school and the Sret du Qubec officer who works there. One of herfriends had the idea to alertHydro-Qubec.

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The utility didn't waste time getting involved, sending a team to the school to stop the kids from copying their peers' actions.

"What we've seen here is like playing Russian roulette, it's like letting your kids play with a loaded weapon," said spokesperson Serge Abergel.

"They can go up one time, two times, maybe nothing happens. The third time, maybe they get hit by an electrical arc, which is essentially the full power of the electrical line going through the child's body, with disastrous consequences."

Abergel said the people who will speak to the students are specially trained to do outreach with young people.

Hydro-Qubec is also looking at adding new barriers to prevent anyone from climbing that specific structure.