California man, Antonio Pascual Mateo, electrocuted placing up Christmas lights
A California man was electrocuted in a freak accident as he was in the midst of a routine activity tens of millions of individuals do in preparation for the upcoming vacation season.
Antonio Pascual Mateo was hanging lights on the property and round a tree exterior a consumer’s residence in Escondido, Calif. when he threw the string of lights over a powerline.
The lights touched the stay wire and created a circuit that brought about electrical energy to move, electrocuting the 24-year-old employee, in keeping with the San Diego County Medical Examiner.
First responders discovered Mateo hanging the other way up from the tree, the place he remained caught for an hour whereas they have been compelled to attend for San Diego Gasoline & Electrical (SDG&E) to chop off the facility so they may rescue the person.
“First unit arrived on scene and located a employee suspended within the air through a waist harness, it appeared that he had are available in contact with some high-power stress traces,” Escondido Battalion Chief informed KUSI.
When Mateo was rescued, first responders tried “superior cardiovascular life help” earlier than transporting him to the Palomar Medical Heart roughly six miles away.
Mateo was pronounced lifeless, an hour and 22 minutes after the incident occurred.
His dying was dominated an accident by “excessive voltage electrocution.”
Mateo’s household paid tribute to him, describing their beloved one as somebody who “at all times took care of his mom and household.”
“To late to avoid wasting, eternally younger he’ll stay,” Juan Pascual mentioned in a GoFundMe.
The grieving household was in search of 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 might obtain them and he could be buried.
“He was a brother, a son and an uncle. His identify was Antonio Pascual. He had a lot to stay, solely 24 years outdated,” the fundraiser added.
The vacation season is just not solely a busy time for touring but in addition for hospital visits as roughly 160 accidents taking place a day associated to Christmas adorning, the US Shopper Product Security Fee reported.
Most accidents are associated to falls, however will also be attributed to electrical fires.
Throughout 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 at all times have water or if buying a synthetic tree, ought to look out for it being “Hearth Resistant.”
To keep away from electrical fires, the fee warns customers to not string collectively greater than three incandescent lights whereas additionally avoiding overloading shops.
Consultants counsel being affected person in terms of working with electrical energy, particularly decorations.
“Should you’re ever unsure in terms of electrical, take a second, reassess,” Christmas Gentle Installer Emelio Linares informed Fox 5 San Diego.
