Young brothers electrocuted by downed power lines
Two young brothers were electrocuted Wednesday by power lines downed by strong winds that swept across parts of Texas, according to multiple reports.
The boys, identified as Isaiah Lopez, 11, and Alex Lopez, 12, were with a third child before 6 p.m. when they encountered the power lines in a heavily wooded area near Fort Worth's Oakland Lake Park, KXAN and WFAA reported.
These are the two children electrocuted by a downed power line in #FortWorth yesterday. 11-yr-old Isaiah & 12-yr-old Alex Lopez. @NBCDFW pic.twitter.com/bYjTp5cELY
— Alice Barr (@AliceBarrNBC5) March 30, 2017
Firefighters told WFAA that they found the power lines still active and arcing when they responded to the call. The boys were pronounced dead at the scene.
"This is never something we want to have to respond to,” Lt. Kyle Falkner told WFAA. “We can never talk about it enough, the need for safety around downed power lines. We're just starting storm season."
Parents; take the time to talk to your kids about avoiding downed power lines as they walk to school this morning. #FWSafe
— Fort Worth Fire Dept (@FortWorthFire) March 29, 2017
The downed line also started a grass fire, according to KXAN. Fire crews extinguished the flames before they could spread.
Severe thunderstorms, some that included tornadoes, hit north Texas and Oklahoma on Tuesday. Oncor, the local electric utility in Fort Worth, reported damage to its system after the storms went through, including in the Oakland Lake Park area.
The utility described the incident as a “tragic accident” in a statement released to KXAN and said employees are cooperating with authorities.
“The safety of our customers and employees is the foundation for everything we do,” the company said. “Our thoughts and heartfelt prayers go out to the family. We urge all our customers to treat every power line as if it’s energized.”
