Siskiyou County, Cal.- A contract employee with Pacific Power died Monday morning after an accident involving a tree branch.
The Oregon man was with a crew on State Route 89 near Mt. Shasta City when the accident happened.
“The individual had been attempting to remove a tree branch, and the tree branch evidently snapped back and struck the victim,” said Siskiyou County Sheriff Jon Lopey.
The victim’s name has not been released. Both the Siskiyou County Sheriff’s Office and Pacific Power are investigating the incident.
Pacific Power released a statement Monday afternoon saying, in part, “Our thoughts are with the family, friends and colleagues of this lineman during this difficult time.”
Sheriff Lopey says the incident is a warning to everyone.
“If you’re working or traveling or simply outdoors, just be prepared,” Lopey said. “Try to avoid [going out] if possible and realize it’s very, very dangerous out there.”