Be careful where you rise the antenna

[RaleighGuy]

A man was trying to use a radio with an antenna, when they believe the antenna came into contact with the power lines, the man was electrocuted and died.

Man dies in accidental electrocution at Chicora Cemetery in Dunn

A man died Friday morning from an accidental electrocution at Chicora Cemetery in Dunn, according to the Harnett County Sheriff's Office.

www.wral.com

 

[IC-R20]

I remember a video from a weird hamfest of that happening. For whatever reason they chose a parking lot with a lot of low uninsulated lines running over head and a guy got lucky touching one and blew up his grounded radio instead of himself. No idea what he thought he would be able to pick up on HF sitting that close to a powerline anyways.

 

[mikewazowski]

A man was trying to use a radio with an antenna, when they believe the antenna came into contact with the power lines, the man was electrocuted and died.

Man dies in accidental electrocution at Chicora Cemetery in Dunn

A man died Friday morning from an accidental electrocution at Chicora Cemetery in Dunn, according to the Harnett County Sheriff's Office.

www.wral.com

Probably the new Cemeteries on the Air (COTA) craze.

I remember a video from a weird hamfest of that happening. For whatever reason they chose a parking lot with a lot of low uninsulated lines running over head and a guy got lucky touching one and blew up his grounded radio instead of himself. No idea what he thought he would be able to pick up on HF sitting that close to a powerline anyways.

Orlando Hamcation. I think there's a video of it available online somewhere.

 

[kg4ehv]

During the CB craze of the mid 70's two close middle school friends were putting up a vertical next to the house on a push-up pole. It got away from them, one dropped it, one did not. Got burned very badly and missed almost a year of school, but lived to tell about it.

 

[tvengr]

I was involved with a TV news operation for 45 years. You would be surprised how many news crews have raised their masts on microwave trucks into overhead power lines without looking up first. There have been many deaths and injuries and much equipment damage due to that mistake. It is also a good idea to use fiberglass ladders when working around power lines. They are insulated and do not provide a path to ground if you come in contact with one of those lines. Aluminum ladders can be deadly.

 

[MTS2000des]

I remember back in 2009 when WSB TV left their mast up and electrified their ENG truck into some high voltage lines outside of Fulton County Jail on Rice Street. No one died but the truck was a total loss.

 

[ladn]

You would be surprised how many news crews have raised their masts on microwave trucks into overhead power lines without looking up first. There have been many deaths and injuries and much equipment damage due to that mistake.

That happened to KABC reporter Adrienne Alpert in Los Angeles in 2000:

A veteran television news reporter assigned to cover a news conference in Hollywood was seriously burned Monday when the microwave transmitter extending from a KABC van came too close to a 34,500-volt power line and caused an explosion.​

​

The reporter, Adrienne Alpert, 48, was airlifted to Grossman Burn Center in Sherman Oaks, where doctors performed emergency surgery to restore blood flow to burn areas over 25% of her body. Heather MacKenzie, Alpert’s photographer, and a Los Angeles police officer suffered minor injuries and were treated at Cedars-Sinai Medical Center and released.​

TV Reporter Badly Burned in Explosion

A veteran television news reporter assigned to cover a news conference in Hollywood was seriously burned Monday when the microwave transmitter extending from a KABC van came too close to a 34,500-volt power line and caused an explosion.

www.latimes.com

 

[trimmerj]

I was involved with a TV news operation for 45 years. You would be surprised how many news crews have raised their masts on microwave trucks into overhead power lines without looking up first. There have been many deaths and injuries and much equipment damage due to that mistake. It is also a good idea to use fiberglass ladders when working around power lines. They are insulated and do not provide a path to ground if you come in contact with one of those lines. Aluminum ladders can be deadly.

Once of my coworkers drove off with the mast extended. He was really lucky. He hit some overhead lines and tripped the breaker on the pole. Destroyed the Willburt mast and the antennas, can't remember if the Rpu Transmitter was hosed. Had to come up with a scheme to prevent ignition on the van with the mast pressurized. Years later at a different station we had a fellow hit an overpass with mast extended.

 

[robertwbob]

That happened to KABC reporter Adrienne Alpert in Los Angeles in 2000:

A veteran television news reporter assigned to cover a news conference in Hollywood was seriously burned Monday when the microwave transmitter extending from a KABC van came too close to a 34,500-volt power line and caused an explosion.​

​

The reporter, Adrienne Alpert, 48, was airlifted to Grossman Burn Center in Sherman Oaks, where doctors performed emergency surgery to restore blood flow to burn areas over 25% of her body. Heather MacKenzie, Alpert’s photographer, and a Los Angeles police officer suffered minor injuries and were treated at Cedars-Sinai Medical Center and released.​

TV Reporter Badly Burned in Explosion

A veteran television news reporter assigned to cover a news conference in Hollywood was seriously burned Monday when the microwave transmitter extending from a KABC van came too close to a 34,500-volt power line and caused an explosion.

www.latimes.com

pretty bad when news headlines are about themselves in bad way.

 

[merlin]

I saw a sign-pro truck with lift come in contact with a sign power feed and "BAM" That was just 240 volt but also took out the nearby transformer that fed all the 240 to the premises. FD had a hard time extinguishing the fire and had to shut down that local grid.
No injuriesbut melted a rail on the lift. The outriggers wer down grounding the truck.

 

[robertwbob]

i guess i been alert as i ran a lift on a 2 ton truck. was a job they said we need this right here i said hell no was big bare wires everwhere you lookd. called the lft owner n he said head to the barn as he asked em about overhead wires n they said wide open. they were pissed because a semi was there to be unloaded n they wanted the units on the roof

 

[dlwtrunked]

Probably the new Cemeteries on the Air (COTA) craze.

Orlando Hamcation. I think there's a video of it available online somewhere.

I was outside several hundred feet away that one when that happened. Loud boom and power was out at the hamfest for awhile. And similarly when the Boy Scout Jamboree was still at Ft. AP Hill (Ft. Walker), 4 scout leaders were killed when a tent pole they were putting up hit a power line. I am lucky in that my power lines are buried.

 

[robertwbob]

we were on a job when i was dumptrucking . new guy raised his bed and several of us were waving screaming stop. he got in wires no fire but he fell over wheel. i grabbed a 2x4 bout 5 ft long n managed to hit lever to let bed down. he opened his door to trip tailgate and didnt close it but he is alive .he said when released from hospital he remembered sharp pain in left arm where lever was by seat. that was in 1973 when we didnt have air and electric bed controls