A California man was electrocuted in a freak accident as he was in the course of a routine process thousands and thousands of individuals do in preparation for the upcoming vacation season.
Antonio Pascual Mateo was hanging lights on the property and round a tree outdoors a consumer’s residence in Escondido, Calif. when he threw the string of lights over a powerline.
The lights touched the reside wire and created a circuit that brought on electrical energy to circulation, electrocuting the 24-year-old employee, in keeping with the San Diego County Medical Examiner.
First responders discovered Mateo hanging the wrong way up from the tree, the place he remained caught for an hour whereas they have been pressured to attend for San Diego Gasoline & Electrical (SDG&E) to chop off the ability so they may rescue the person.
“First unit arrived on scene and found a worker suspended in the air via a waist harness, it appeared that he had come in contact with some high-power tension lines,” Escondido Battalion Chief instructed KUSI.
When Mateo was rescued, first responders tried “advanced cardiovascular life support” earlier than transporting him to the Palomar Medical Middle roughly six miles away.
Mateo was pronounced useless, an hour and 22 minutes after the incident occurred.
His dying was dominated an accident by “high voltage electrocution.”
Mateo’s household paid tribute to him, describing their liked one as somebody who “always took care of his mother and family.”
“To late to save, forever young he will remain,” Juan Pascual stated in a GoFundMe.
The grieving household was on the lookout for assist elevating $20,000 to assist pay for the arraignments of transporting Mateo’s stays from California to his native Guatemala the place his mom may obtain them and he could be buried.
“He was a brother, a son and an uncle. His name was Antonio Pascual. He had so much to live, only 24 years old,” the fundraiser added.
The vacation season is just not solely a busy time for touring but additionally for hospital visits as roughly 160 accidents taking place a day associated to Christmas adorning, the US Client Product Security Fee reported.
Most accidents are associated to falls, however will also be attributed to electrical fires.
Through the 2023 vacation season — Nov. 1 2022 to Jan. 31, 2023 — about 14,900 folks have been handled in hospital emergency departments for vacation decorating-related accidents.
The CPSC recommends Christmas bushes ought to all the time have water or if buying a man-made tree, ought to look out for it being “Fire Resistant.”
To keep away from electrical fires, the fee warns customers to not string collectively greater than three incandescent lights whereas additionally avoiding overloading retailers.
Consultants counsel being affected person relating to working with electrical energy, particularly decorations.
“If you’re ever in doubt when it comes to electrical, take a second, reassess,” Christmas Mild Installer Emelio Linares instructed Fox 5 San Diego.
