BERNE, N.Y. (AP) — A man working on a utility pole was electrocuted early Friday when low-hanging wires made contact with the basket of his truck, according to police.
The cable company worker was doing routine maintenance in rural Berne, about 15 miles (24 kilometers) west of Albany, at around 2:30 a.m. when the wires touched the basket of the Spectrum truck, electrocuting the man and causing the truck to explode and catch fire, Albany County Sheriff Craig Apple told the Times-Union of Albany.
The unidentified 56-year-old man, who was working alone, was pronounced dead at the scene.
A spokesperson for Charter Communications, Spectrum’s parent company, said it was “a devastating loss.”
“This was a tragic accident with an employee who had been with us for more than 25 years,” spokesperson Lara Pritchard said in an email. “Our deepest condolences go out to his family, friends and coworkers who worked with him every day.”
Workers will often perform equipment maintenance and upgrades overnight to prevent service interruptions during high-usage hours.
Yankees delay DJ LeMahieu's minor league rehab assignment because foot has not fully healed
Tākaka man who died in mysterious circumstances named
China passes Hong Kong security bill
Close to 200kg of methamphetamine stopped from entering NZ, Australia market
Lottery 'loser' boyfriend, 39, who is fighting his ex
Politics updates: Kāinga Ora crackdown, changes to plug
Electronic roll crashing on Election Day could have been avoided
Health Minister Shane Reti offers cursory response over smokefree protest
Karlie Kloss exudes confidence in a bold red midaxi dress as she attends star
Politics updates: Kāinga Ora crackdown, changes to plug
G7 comes for Putin, Ayatollah and Xi: Ukraine to receive frozen Russian assets to fund 'game
Former army officer jailed after raping Wellington sex worker