Man electrocuted on Danforth Street after antenna touches power line, ignites fire

Chris Helms, The Taunton Daily Gazette
·2 min read
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TAUNTON — A man was electrocuted Thursday while trying to remove an antenna from a Danforth Street home after the antenna touched a power line, according to a preliminary investigation.

Authorities are not releasing the man's name pending notification of his family.

Two workers for Horner Millwork in Somerset were making a delivery and witnessed the fatal incident and resulting fire, said Jimmy McDonald, who also works for the company. The two witnesses were so shaken that they have both gone home.

McDonald said the driver of the delivery truck told him he heard a cracking noise, looked up and witnessed the incident.

Isaac Nave, another Horner Millwork employee, said the driver told him it was "traumatizing" to witness it.

The delivery driver's helper took video of the incident, McDonald told a scrum of reporters at the scene, but is unlikely to share it out of respect for the victim.

A man was killed at this house at 415 Danforth St. after an "electrical event" that also ignited a fire, officials said.
A man was killed at this house at 415 Danforth St. after an "electrical event" that also ignited a fire, officials said.

"I just pray for his family," McDonald said. "I don't know what to say. It's heartbreaking."

According to an initial report from Taunton authorities, the State Fire Marshal and Bristol County District Attorney, the man is believed to have been trying to remove an antenna from the three-story building at about 7:30 a.m.

"The antenna made contact with a nearby power line, causing fatal injuries to the man and igniting the exterior of the dwelling," the early statement said.

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Police have blocked off the street to all traffic and would not let reporters near the white multi-family house. The Taunton Municipal Light Plant posted on Facebook about the fatality, saying they announced the death of the man at 415 Danforth St. "with a heavy heart."

There were multiple fire trucks, police and TMLP vehicles on scene.

This story will be updated.

With reporting by Jon Haglof.

This article originally appeared on The Taunton Daily Gazette: Taunton electrocution: Man dies after antenna touches power line