Man electrocuted while tampering with DWP equipment, authorities say
A man was electrocuted this week while tampering with a street light circuit in Koreatown, Los Angeles Department of Water and Power officials said.
Police believe the man was killed while trying to remove copper wire and other items from the electrified equipment, DWP officials said.
The Los Angeles County coroner’s office said the man, who was found dead Tuesday, was in his 30s and Latino but did not release his name because his next of kin had not yet been notified. His death, the result of electrocution and thermal burns, has been ruled an accident.
DWP crews deenergized the conductor after the L.A. Police Department reported the death. Utility officials are working with law enforcement in their investigation, officials said.
The department said electrical equipment and wires often carry thousands of volts of electricity and warned the public not to touch anyone lying near, or in contact with, downed wires or electrical equipment.
“Live electrical wires can and will often result in death. Don’t get near a downed power line, don’t tamper with electrical equipment or utility boxes and if you see anyone doing so, dial 9-1-1,” DWP General Manager David Wright said in a statement.
Twitter: @jpanzar
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