Friday, August 28, 2015

1 worker electrocuted to death and 2 others are critically injured after the aluminum ladder they were touching fell into 7,200 Volt power lines in Draper, Utah











Ravell Call/Deseret News

By Megan Marsden Christensen | 

Updated - August 28th, 2015


DRAPER, UTAH


One person is dead and two others are critically injured after the three were shocked at work, officials said.

Unified Fire spokesman Dave Ulibarri said the roofers were working on the air conditioning at Bailie's Gym & Power Tumbling at 88 W. 13100 South around 10:45 a.m. when the aluminum ladder they were touching fell into some power lines.

Aaron Garn, of Eagle Mountain, was killed in the incident, and another worker went into cardiac arrest, but was revived through first CPR efforts and transported to the hospital, Ulibarri said.

The third roofer was also transported to the hospital. Both are in critical condition.

The names of the two critically injured men weren't released Friday afternoon.

Officials do not yet know exactly what happened, but Ulibarri said one co-worker who witnessed the scene was on the roof, so they anticipate the roofers were moving equipment up the ladder as it lost balance.

Unified fire and Rocky Mountain Power responded to the scene and the Utah Occupational Safety and Health Division responded to do an inspection.

A GoFundMe account* was set up for the Garn family Friday.

Rocky Mountain Power spokesman David Eskelsen said the voltage of the power line the ladder struck was 7,200 volts.

The voltage of the power line is common for what is used to serve homes or small businesses, according to Rocky Mountain Power. The company's crews were called to make repairs in the area and finished there late Friday afternoon.

Eskelsen said they urge their customers to be safe around electricity. Information for homeowners, farm and ranch locations, construction work and for police and fire first-responders is available on the Rocky Mountain Power website.