Painter electrocuted on roof

[Omaha Steve]

http://www.kansascity.com/news/breaking_news/story/313216.html

By SARA SHEPHERD
The Kansas City Star

A painter working on the roof of a stately historic home near Swope Park apparently was electrocuted this afternoon, Kansas City fire officials said.

Rescue workers received a call that a man was unconscious on the roof of the house on the southwest corner of 67th Street and Elmwood Avenue.


A man died on the roof of this house today on the southwest corner of 67th Street and Elmwood Avenue.


When they arrived, they learned he was dead.

They interviewed co-workers and determined that two painters had climbed a tall ladder to reach the roof and used a second smaller ladder, called a jump ladder, to reach a dormer, Kansas City Fire Battalion Chief Joe Vitale said. Co-workers reported hearing the victim yell before he fell back with his arms splayed.

Emergency responders found him without a pulse and still touching the jump ladder.

FULL story and video at link.

[thecrow]

1. It is dangerous to work around wires

My niece's husband was killed a couple years ago when his metal ladder got caught in a gust of wind and blew into high tension wires that the electric ompany was supposed to have turned off while the work was being done. Well, they didn't get around to turning them off even after he was killed. Needless to say, it was quite a harrowing mess for the family. Very sad.
So, life can end in an instant.... we never know when our day will come. I am feeling sad for the family and friends of this poor guy.

[NYC]

2. They don't know how it happened.

...Vitale said electrical crews had to neutralize the current so the man’s body could be safely removed from the roof. They also were investigating what caused the incident.

“They are trying to determine not only what was energized but how it became energized,” Vitale said.