Texas worker electrocuted while erecting flagpole; two others injured

SHERMAN, Texas (KXII) One person died, and two others were transported to a Plano hospital after a flag pole fell onto a power line at around 9:30 a.m. Wednesday at the River Ranch apartment complex on FM-1417 in Sherman.

Sherman Fire Chief Danny Jones said the three were lifting the flag pole in front of the apartment complex, when it fell over onto a power line.

One of the workers died at Wilson N Jones hospital.

The other two were taken to a Plano hospital's burn unit where they are in critical condition.

"So I was actually in my car in the parking lot and I hear a zzzz sound and I look over to my right and I see a big splash, a big cloud of blue," KXII-TV Morning Producer Adrian Torres said.

Torres lives at River Ranch Apartments, and had just arrived home from work.

"And then I saw another big cloud of blue, and then I look over and I can see some guy’s knee on the floor, so then that's when I got up and went over there and some other lady went running over there and we saw they were just laying on the floor," Torres said.

He wanted to help but saw one of the workers lying motionless, his leg still touching the pole.

"I stood back because we saw the pole was touching the cable still and it was still touching one of the guys feet, still looked like it so we stood back," Torres said.

Officials say the three were trying to lift the pole from the ground when the wind caught it and it hit this power line.

"First off, our hearts and prayers go out to the people injured but there were three people injured on an electrocution with a customer with our primary voltage," ONCOR Area Manager Todd Thompson said.

The names of the victims weren’t immediately released.