Man shocked, falls about 50 feet after climbing power pole

Rescuers say man suffered third-degree burns to 60% of body

LAUDERHILL, Fla. – A man in Lauderhill is lucky that rescue workers were close by early Tuesday evening. 

Lauderhill Fire Rescue workers were at the scene of a motor vehicle crash when a witness alerted them to a man who had climbed a power pole and touched some live wires.

The man was on fire and fell about 50 feet to the ground, authorities said. The accident also caused a loud boom, witnesses said. 

Rescue workers said the man was conscious when they got to him. 

The man suffered third-degree burns to 60% of his body, in addition to entrance and exit wounds from the shock, authorities said. 

A gas station clerk working nearby told Local 10 News that there was a power outage the moment he heard the boom.

"I don't know how you survive falling that far by itself," witness John Moore said. "I don't know how you survive getting shocked like that. Either one of those is very fortunate."


About the Author:

Janine Stanwood joined Local 10 News in February 2004 as an assignment editor. She is now a general assignment reporter. Before moving to South Florida from her Washington home, Janine was the senior legislative correspondent for a United States senator on Capitol Hill.