A worker in Wellesley, Massachusetts was seriously injured after receiving an electric shock while hanging Christmas lights on a tree. The contractor, a 22-year-old man working for NZ Power Wash, was using a pole to string up the lights when it came into contact with an electrical line on a utility pole. He collapsed and was found in cardiac arrest, but emergency responders were able to revive him with an automated external defibrillator. The man was rushed to Newton Wellesley Hospital and then to Massachusetts General Hospital for treatment of life-threatening injuries.
The incident, which occurred around 10 a.m. on Wednesday, is being investigated by OSHA, the Wellesley Police Department, and the Wellesley Municipal Light Plant. The coworker who witnessed the incident declined to comment but mentioned that the man is recovering in the hospital. The police offered their thoughts and prayers to the victim and his family during this tragic incident.
Officer Tim Gover of the Wellesley Police Department described the incident as the man taking a “big hit” from the electrical shock. The pole used by the victim was approximately 34 feet long and either touched or came close to the electrical line, causing the shock. The details of the investigation are still unknown, but it serves as a reminder of the dangers of working with electricity.
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