

WARNING – DISTURBING CONTENT: A man is in a critical condition after suffering a dangerous electric shock while allegedly trying to run from police in east Perth.

Officers followed the 43-year-old man to McIver railway station about 8.30am on Friday after reports he was armed with a knife in Northbridge, police say.

Seeing him walk up an embankment to the East Perth Bridge on Lord Street, they warned him of the electrical danger and asked him to come to safety.

As police came closer to him, the man made the dangerous decision to climb a power pole.

View photos Officers followed a man to McIver train station after reports he was armed with a knife. Source: 7 News More

As his foot touched the high voltage lines that power trains, 25,000 volts went surging through his body.

Footage of the incident appears to show the man was making his way onto a crossbar when he received the massive electric shock that sent him flying backwards into a concrete wall.

The impact caused him to fall about four to five metres onto the tracks below.

View photos As police got closer, the wanted man made the dangerous decision to climb a railway station power pole. Source: 7 News More

St John Ambulance attended the scene and took the injured man to nearby Royal Perth Hospital with burns, cuts and bruises.

“All you could hear was a big ‘boom’ and he fell on the ground,” witness Michelle Ugle told 7 News.

Those who watched the man receive the enormous jolt were astonished he was not killed.

View photos His foot touched the high voltage lines that power trains, sending 25,000 volts surging through his body. Source: 7 News More

“I couldn’t believe my eyes, I’m just shaking,” Ms Ugle added.

“That’s unreal, like the volts going out of that. That is unbelievable that he is still alive.”

The man is believed to in an induced coma in hospital. He is in a critical but stable condition.

CCTV of the area will be reviewed to assist with establishing the man’s movements prior to police arriving at the scene.