51-year-old contractor dies of electrocution while trimming trees, Texas officials say

A 51-year-old contractor was trimming trees in a Texas neighborhood when one of his tools made contact with a main power line, according to local news reports.

Homeowners noticed the man was unresponsive in a tree, so they let another tree trimmer know and called 911, KHOU reported.

The Harris County Fire Marshal’s Office says it was called to the 5700 block of Pinewilde Drive north of Houston Monday, March 28. When they arrived that afternoon, they confirmed a man was trimming trees before he died of electrocution.

Authorities say the man’s aluminum hand saw had touched a main power line before he was electrocuted, according to The Houston Chronicle.

The Champion Forest Fire Department and Spring Fire Department worked together to bring the tree trimmer’s body back down, as he was in a harness when he died, KPRC reported.

Officials say the contractor worked for a “small business tree trimming service,” the Chronicle reported, which was hired by one of the private residences.

This story was originally published March 29, 2022 at 9:00 AM with the headline "51-year-old contractor dies of electrocution while trimming trees, Texas officials say."