Tree Trimmer, 48, Pronounced Dead After Being Found Suspended 30 Feet Above Ground Near High-Voltage Power Lines

A tree trimmer is dead after he was found suspended in a tree below high-voltage power lines in Los Angeles, officials said.

On Wednesday, Nov. 5, firefighters responded at 1:33 p.m. local time to 9349 Kirkside Road in Beverlywood and discovered a tree trimmer suspended about 30 feet above the ground and approximately six to eight feet below high-voltage power lines, the Los Angeles Fire Department said in a news release. 

The city’s water and power agency then proceeded to shut down power in the area. The victim, an unidentified 48-year-old man, was pronounced dead at the scene by paramedics, the fire department said. 

Emergency responders then coordinated a careful recovery operation. In aerial footage shared by ABC affiliate KABC, crew members can be seen attempting to retrieve the victim’s body from the tall tree. 

Officials did not confirm if touching the power lines caused the man’s death. 

The Los Angeles Fire Department and the County of Los Angeles Medical Examiner did not immediately respond to PEOPLE’s requests for further comment.

Workers in the tree-trimming industry have among the largest numbers of workplace electrical fatalities, according to the Electrical Safety Foundation. 

Of these work-related deaths, 84% happen when tree trimmers come in contact with overhead power lines. The organization added that 70% of all worker electrical fatalities occur in jobs that do not focus on electrical work. 

The foundation shared a list of best practices, including tree trimmers keeping themselves and their tools at least 10 feet away from all power lines and wearing “ground-fault protection,” as well as always keeping a lookout for power lines in the vicinity.

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“Be aware of energized equipment or parts near you,” the Electrical Safety Foundation concluded. “Many fatalities occur from workers accidentally coming in contact with energized equipment or parts near them.”