‘Copper thief’ electrocuted in tunnels

Devon and Cornwall Police are understood to be looking into whether the 40-year-old was attempting to steal copper pipes from the site of the former St Lawrence’s Hospital site in Bodmin, Cornwall.

The man, who has not been identified, was in the tunnels with another man, in his 30s, when the accident occurred at around 2.20pm on Easter Monday.

The extensive networks of tunnels carry the water, gas and electricity pipes for the hospital, which has been closed since 2002.

Det Con Sarah Northcott, who is investigating the death, said he was found dead at an old laundry building on the site, which was founded as the county lunatic asylum in 1815.

“We believe he was electrocuted in an underground tunnel,” she said.

“Another man, who was uninjured, was able to raise the alarm. The exact circumstances of his death are unknown at this time and our investigations are continuing.”

The land, which also incorporates the town’s current hospital, is owned and run by the Cornwall Partnership NHS Trust.

A spokeswoman confirmed that the incident took place on the trust’s land.

“All entrances to the tunnels are secure and the site is monitored around the clock by security patrols,” she said.

The site is popular with “urban explorers”, people who gain entry, often by breaking in, to industrial and other buildings – most often disused structures – for the thrill of exploring empty spaces.