California Personal Injury Lawyers Blog
In a tragic San Bernardino electrical accident, high winds, which went up to 40 miles per hour, caused power lines to fall in a family’s yard. Apparently, family members tried to put out the small fires that the downed power lines caused.
In what may have been a chain reaction electrocution, three family members were killed. Apparently, Sharon Vego, who was in the front yard when she heard an explosion in the back, came to the back to try to help. When she got to the back, she tried to help her son and husband, when she was also electrocuted. All three members of the family were killed by the electrocution.
After firefighters arrived at the scene, they had to wait approximately 15 minutes before the crews from Southern California Edison were able to arrive and shut off power to the line that had fallen, so firefighters could safely reach the victims.
It is advised that if you see a power line that has fallen to the ground, never touch, move or go near it, even if it looks harmless. Also, if you see a person being shocked, attempts to pull the person away may cause you to become a victim, which is apparently what happened in San Bernardino today. If you see a downed line, it is best to get as far away as safely possible and call 911 for emergency help, and call the emergency number for the local utility company.
The recent high winds throughout Los Angeles County and San Bernardino cause a serious risk of downed power lines, which are very powerful and dangerous. If you see a downed power line, make sure to call the emergency numbers. Victims, or their families, should also contact a California personal injury attorney who can conduct the investigation necessary to find the cause of the accident and pursue damages from the responsible party.