Man Shocked on Pole Breaks Legs in Fall
A young man who climbed a high-voltage power pole in Mission Hills on Wednesday was shocked by 66,000 volts and fell 60 feet to the ground, suffering broken legs, the Los Angeles Fire Department reported.
“There was a loud explosion, a ball of fire and this young man was falling from the top,” said Betty Gitt, a witness.
The man, whose name and age were withheld, received second- and third-degree burns on most of his body, Battalion Chief Clark Cornwell said. He was rushed to Holy Cross Medical Center in Mission Hills after the incident at 7:05 p.m. in Brand Park in the 14800 block of Brand Boulevard, Cornwell said.
Cornwell said witnesses told authorities that the man appeared to be behaving erratically before climbing the pole.
Start your day right
Sign up for Essential California for news, features and recommendations from the L.A. Times and beyond in your inbox six days a week.
You may occasionally receive promotional content from the Los Angeles Times.
