HOUSTON – A contractor was killed, and a second person was injured while working on power lines in the Acres Home area of Houston on Wednesday afternoon.
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What we know:
According to the Houston Police Department, the incident occurred on Observatory Street, near Ferguson Way around 5 p.m.
The Houston Fire Department said an electrical contractor was operating a bucket truck when the bucket was raised through trees and came into contact with electrical wires that had not been seen.
Officials said the worker in the bucket was electrocuted and pronounced dead on the scene.
Authorities said a second person on the ground was also injured and taken to a local hospital.
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Houston police said there was a three-person crew that were working on the AT&T lines, which are co-located on the pole along with the power company lines.
Officials said this incident is being classified as an industrial accident, and authorities believe OSHA will be investigating.
What we don’t know:
Officials did not provide the name of the victim or the company the contractor was working for.
What they’re saying:
In a statement, CenterPoint Energy said, “This evening, CenterPoint Energy responded to a report of a third-party contractor, unrelated to CenterPoint, who came in contact with electrical infrastructure near Acres Homes. We continue to work alongside first responders and emergency services to safely secure the area and support response efforts. We are keeping those impacted by this incident in our thoughts. Safety is CenterPoint’s highest priority, and urge customers, contractors and the public to be mindful when working around electric infrastructure and stay at least 10 feet away from power lines and at least 35 feet away from downed power lines or fallen wires.”
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