Tuesday, November 18, 2008

One killed, another hurt in electrical accident

By: pat Reavy
One man was killed and another severely burned while working on a power pole Tuesday morning.
The men were left dangling 15 to 20 feet in the air, with only their safety harnesses preventing them from falling to the ground, as a third worker attempted to get them down in a daring rescue by climbing the pole and lowering them to the ground.
"It was horrible, it was absolutely horrible," said Pat Carrillo.
Several residents, including Carrillo, broke down in tears as they recounted watching the workers hang from the pole.
"He was upside down. It looked like he was trying to get his harness off of him. I could hear him moaning," she said of the lone survivor.
Stephen G. Vlamakis, 26, of Helper, was killed in the accident. Fatu Natagi, 28, of Salt Lake City, suffered extensive injuries and was listed in critical condition Tuesday night.
Both were employees of Mountain Power Construction and were working near a transformer on a power pole located in the corner of several backyards near 4100 South and 1400 East. The pole they were working on had numerous wires connected to it.
At 11:43 a.m., a garbage truck driver and a resident spotted the workers and called 911. Investigators were still looking for witnesses. Carrillo said she was on her computer when the power suddenly went out. That's when she ran outside and saw the workers dangling from the pole.

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