Man shocked while trimming trees in Charleroi

By TAYLOR BROWN

tbrown@yourmvi.com

A man was taken to a local hospital Tuesday after being electrocuted while trimming trees in Charleroi. 

Charleroi Fire Chief Robert Whiten Jr. said crews were called to the 500 block of Crest Avenue around 12:30 p.m. for a report of wires down and a man who had been shocked.

Whiten said the man, who wasn’t identified, was working when a cut branch fell onto high-tension wires.

The wires came crashing down into the street and onto the tree the man was in. He was shocked when the transformer shorted.

When Whiten arrived on scene, the man was still in the tree.

“I told him to try to get himself down and once he was out of his harness and on the ground, he laid down in the grass and was not doing too good,” Whiten said. 

Mon Valley EMS arrived on scene shortly after and transported him to Monongahela Valley Hospital in Carroll Township for treatment. 

Whiten said a female, who was also not identified, tried to move a branch following the incident and suffered a minor leg injury, but refused medical treatment. 

It’s unclear how the man and woman are connected to the residence.

“There was not a truck or vehicle with a company name, and the house is not occupied,” Whiten said. “I am not sure if they were hired by the home owner to preform the work or if maybe they were planning to move in.”

Officials from West Penn Power later arrived on scene to assist.

A tree-cutting company affiliated with West Penn arrived on scene after the wires were fixed to continue cutting branches.

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