A 55-year-old man was electrocuted Friday after a tree branch fell, taking out power lines and landing on a vehicle in a Sherman Oaks neighborhood.
The man, whose name was not disclosed by 4:45 p.m. Friday, was apparently touched by the electrified line, or somehow had contact with the charged water, police said.
The incident, one of several in the San Fernando Valley, was reported at 12:43 p.m. Friday at 5300 N. Sepulveda Boulevard in Sherman Oaks, LAPD Sgt. Jack Richter said.
Los Angeles Fire Department spokesman Erik Scott said on Friday he did not know where the person was in relation to the power lines or vehicle.
“They were obviously near the downed power lines and possibly suffered an electrical shock,” Scott said.
Firefighters arrived and cut the lines, secured the area, assessed the man and rapidly transported him to the hospital, Scott said.
Minutes before the Sherman Oaks incident, a tree fell onto a home in Northridge causing non-serious injuries to another person.
The incident was reported at 12:40 p.m. Friday at the 8500 block of N. Bothwell Road, LAFD officials said.
LAFD Capt. Daniel Curry said an ambulance was requested for a non-serious injury sustained to the resident of the home.
“I don’t have the nature of the injury,” Curry said.
Additionally, it appeared power lines were also downed in the incident.
“We’re still on scene,” Curry said.
Curry had no further information.
About 20 minutes after the Sherman Oaks and Northridge incidents, the fire department reported a large tree down that took high voltage power lines with it as well as a nearby gas line possible affected by the tree.
The commotion was reported just after 1 p.m. in the 13700 block of Califa Street in Valley Glen. No injuries were reported, authorities said.
Friday has had a “tremendous” amount of wires being downed in the fire department’s jurisdiction, Curry added.
“The wind is definitely creating havoc more than the rain,” he said.