Family of Irish teen electrocuted in shower on Greek island considers legal action
Alex McKee, 17, from Cork, died instantly on August 9 when he picked up a showerhead in a holiday home on the Aegean island of Kimolos. Police have sealed off the building and are investigating the wiring.
The incident on Kimolos
Alex McKee, a 17-year-old from Cork City, was electrocuted on August 9 while taking a shower at a holiday home on the Aegean island of Kimolos. He is said to have died instantly when picking up the showerhead in a bathroom described as "outdoor and rudimentary." McKee had been on the island barely three days, staying in a stone house built more than 50 years ago that his family visited regularly. His mother, Iphigenia, is from Kimolos, making the island a familiar destination for the family. A postmortem conducted at a hospital in Piraeus on the Greek mainland confirmed electrocution as the cause of death. The teenager's body was transported from the island to the mainland for the examination.
Police investigation
Greek police told the Guardian the inquiry is now focused on the building's water heater and a possible fault in the wiring. An officer based in Syros with oversight of the Aegean said the house has been cordoned off and an independent expert has been requested to inspect the wiring. Police believe the fusebox may not have had a safety valve. The building has been sealed off and treated as a crime scene, with the officer noting that the small island community has been deeply affected by what happened.
- Alex McKee (17) electrocuted while showering on Kimolos
- Building sealed off as crime scene; police request expert wiring inspection
- Postmortem at Piraeus hospital confirmed electrocution as cause of death
- Family lawyer says legal action is under consideration
Family considers legal action
Lawyer Stelios Voudouris, speaking on behalf of the family to Open TV in Greece, said there was "clearly huge criminal responsibility" for a tragedy that could have been avoided.
From what has emerged, it seems the electric panel was installed without a safety valve.
Medical response on the island
Agapitos Xanthis, a doctor on Kimolos, recounted how McKee's mother described feeling a similar electrical surge when she called him for help after her son collapsed. He instructed her to immediately turn off the mains to prevent further harm.
We are lucky there weren't two deaths as a result of electrocution.
Community mourning and tributes
Kostas Vendouris, the mayor of Kimolos, expressed profound shock over the tragedy, saying it had plunged the less than 1,000-strong island into mourning. Vendouris is also a professional electrician. Colm Burke, the Irish Fine Gael politician for Cork North-Central, paid tribute to the teenager and his accomplishments.
It is extremely sad to hear that someone so young has died so tragically. He was a really talented young person with his whole life and huge career ahead of him.
A young innovator remembered
McKee was a fifth-year student at Terence MacSwiney Community College in Knocknaheeny on Cork City's northside, due to start his Leaving Cert year in September. He had won plaudits in Ireland for developing, alongside two classmates, an innovative communication system for people with nonverbal autism. He was recognised for his work at the Young Scientist and Technology Exhibition earlier this year. Funeral arrangements have yet to be announced. The incident has also drawn attention to electrical standards in accommodation rented out seasonally on the Greek islands, a country heavily dependent on tourism with visitor numbers expected to rise again this year.
