SALT LAKE CITY, Utah, Jan. 30, 2020 (Gephardt Daily) — A man was electrocuted in Salt Lake City Thursday after a hydraulic lift he was operating came into contact with a power line.
The fatal accident was reported by a passerby at 11:38 a.m. in the area of 200 E. Williams Ave. (1000 South). Salt Lake City Fire Capt. Anthony Burton told Gephardt Daily what happened next.
“When crews arrived, they found an individual in a hydraulic lift — like a cherry picker or a scissor lift — and the gentleman in it had impacted the power lines between to power poles,” Burton said.
“The individual did not appear to be working on a power line, and was not a utilities employee. He seemed to be getting the lift to height” so he could work on another, unknown project, Burton said.
“When the first crews got there, the lines were still active, and the individual appeared to be severely injured,” Burton said. “Whenever we have electricity involved, we slow the operation down for the safety of the public and our employees.”
Rocky Mountain Power disconnected electricity to the area, Burton said. The cherry picker was lowered to the ground, and “the victim had expired due to injuries.”
The Medical Examiner was brought in, and Salt Lake City Police investigators documented and investigated the scene.
The victim’s family members are being notified of the death, and the man’s name will not be released until that is complete, Burton said.
“We always thank the community for their cooperation when the power is off,” Burton said. “We know it’s an inconvenience, and we appreciate the community’s cooperation.
“We wish we knew what kind of work this individual was doing. It was an unfortunate accident with a terrible outcome.”
