Thursday, March 30, 2017

2 children died in Texas after they were electrocuted by power lines downed in a severe overnight storm.









Two children died in Texas on Wednesday after they were electrocuted by power lines downed in a severe overnight storm.

The boys, ages 11 and 12, were brothers, ABC affiliate WFAA reported, citing a first responder on the scene.

The incident happened in a heavily wooded area in East Fort Worth, Texas, according to the report. The area was still recovering from a powerful overnight storm that knocked out power and damaged multiple properties.

"This is never something we want to have to respond to. We can never talk about it enough, the need for safety around downed power lines. We're just starting storm season," Fort Worth Fire Department's Lt. Kyle Falkner told WFAA on Wednesday.

A grass fire had also been ignited as a result of the fallen lines, which were still energized when fire officials arrived on the scene.

Oncor, the local electricity provider in the area, said it was working with authorities to determine the cause of the accident.

"Our thoughts and heartfelt prayers go out to the family," a spokesperson for the company said in a statement Wednesday. "We urge all our customers to treat every power line as if it's energized."

Severe thunderstorms and damaging winds hit parts of Texas overnight, leaving as many as 200,000 people in the Dallas/Fort Worth area without power at one point.

The poor weather shifted east on Wednesday with severe weather warnings spanning from the area surrounding Kansas City, Missouri, to the Gulf Coast.

Worse storms are expected in parts of Mississippi and Tennessee on Thursday.




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Two children have been electrocuted by downed power lines in Fort Worth Wednesday, fire officials say.

The Fort Worth Fire Department was called to the 1500 block of Oakland Place at the Oakland Lake Park just after 6 p.m.

The victims are believed to be 11 and 12 years old, officials said. A family member told NBC 5's sister station Telemundo 39 that the boys were brothers.

Firefighters said the children were in a heavily wooded area of the park when they encountered the live power lines on the ground. A third child who was with them was able to go call for help.

Raw Video: Fort Worth Park Where Two Kids were Electrocuted
Two children have been electrocuted by downed power lines at Oakland Lake Park in Fort Worth, fire officials say.(Published Wednesday, March 29, 2017)

Their identifies have not been released, officials said.

A grass fire was also ignited by the lines, and fire crews were able to extinguish the flames before they spread.

Oncor crews were not at the scene at the time the fire department first arrived, but the fire department issued an emergency request, and Oncor arrived soon after to help make the scene safe for fire crews to access.

Strong winds are likely the cause of the downed power lines. Thunderstorms that moved through North Texas early Wednesday caused widespread power outages in several communities, most notably across Tarrant County.

As of 8:30 p.m. there were still more than 26,000 Oncor customers affected by outages in Tarrant County.

Raw Video: Fort Worth FD Update After Children Electrocuted
Fort Worth fire spokesman Lt. Kyle Falkner provides a media update at Oakland Lake Park, where two children were electrocuted by downed power lines.(Published Wednesday, March 29, 2017)

"We can't talk about enough the need for safety around downed power lines. We're just starting the storm season and this is something we'll continue to deal with," said Fort Worth fire spokesman Lt. Kyle Falkner.

In a statement released Wednesday evening, Oncor said



"A tragic accident has occurred. Oncor is currently working with authorities to determine the cause. The safety of our customers and employees is the foundation for everything we do. Our thoughts and heartfelt prayers go out to the family. We urge all our customers to treat every power line as if it’s energized."
Published at 7:32 PM CDT on Mar 29, 2017 | Updated at 10:51 PM CDT on Mar 29, 2017