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Oregon
Related: About this forumPerson climbs powerline tower to take selfie, receives electric shock, and falls 40 feet
Lets get one thing out of the way at the outset. Electrocution occurs when someone receives an electric shock that is so severe that it is fatal. This person was not electrocuted. He received an electric shock from an overhead power line energized at 57,000 volts. And then he fell 40 feet. And lived.
Take it up with KATU.
Person climbs powerline tower to take selfie, gets electrocuted & falls 40 feet
by SHELBY SLAUGHTER, ALLISON BERRY | KATU STAFF
Fri, May 17th 2024 at 3:24 PM
PORTLAND, Ore. (KATU) A person survived electrocution and a 40-foot-fall off of a powerline tower in southeast Portland after climbing the tower to take a selfie, Portland Fire & Rescue says.
PF&R says the incident happened around 5 p.m. Wednesday evening along the railroad tracks near Sellwood Riverfront Park.
A witness told PF&R the person was taking a selfie on the 40-foot-tall steel tower, and another witness described hearing "a transformer blow" and then saw the person fall from the tower to the ground. Rick Graves with Portland Fire and Rescue says the current conditions of the person are unknown.
{snip}
Luckily an off-duty paramedic was nearby when the fall happened, and they were able to provide medical attention until PF&R teams and an ambulance arrived. The person was conscious and breathing and was taken to the hospital for treatment.
PF&R says it's not clear if the person touched the powerline or if the powerline arced and caused the electrocution. Fire crews want to remind you: No selfie is worth risking your life.
KATU has received reports claiming the person is a minor, but we are waiting on officials to confirm this information.
by SHELBY SLAUGHTER, ALLISON BERRY | KATU STAFF
Fri, May 17th 2024 at 3:24 PM
PORTLAND, Ore. (KATU) A person survived electrocution and a 40-foot-fall off of a powerline tower in southeast Portland after climbing the tower to take a selfie, Portland Fire & Rescue says.
PF&R says the incident happened around 5 p.m. Wednesday evening along the railroad tracks near Sellwood Riverfront Park.
A witness told PF&R the person was taking a selfie on the 40-foot-tall steel tower, and another witness described hearing "a transformer blow" and then saw the person fall from the tower to the ground. Rick Graves with Portland Fire and Rescue says the current conditions of the person are unknown.
{snip}
Luckily an off-duty paramedic was nearby when the fall happened, and they were able to provide medical attention until PF&R teams and an ambulance arrived. The person was conscious and breathing and was taken to the hospital for treatment.
PF&R says it's not clear if the person touched the powerline or if the powerline arced and caused the electrocution. Fire crews want to remind you: No selfie is worth risking your life.
KATU has received reports claiming the person is a minor, but we are waiting on officials to confirm this information.
Person climbs power line tower for selfie and gets electrocuted, Oregon rescuers say
BY HELENA WEGNER MAY 16, 2024 9:12 AM
![](https://www.thenewstribune.com/news/nation-world/national/fxfwmp/picture288523580/alternates/LANDSCAPE_1140/Power%20line%20tower%202.jpg)
A person climbed this power line tower and was electrocuted May 15 in Portland, Oregon, rescuers said. Portland Fire & Rescue
A person climbed up a high-voltage power line tower for a selfie, got electrocuted and fell 40 feet in Oregon, rescuers said. They fell just after 5 p.m. May 15 near Sellwood Riverfront Park, Portland Fire & Rescue said in a news release.
{snip}
BY HELENA WEGNER MAY 16, 2024 9:12 AM
![](https://www.thenewstribune.com/news/nation-world/national/fxfwmp/picture288523580/alternates/LANDSCAPE_1140/Power%20line%20tower%202.jpg)
A person climbed this power line tower and was electrocuted May 15 in Portland, Oregon, rescuers said. Portland Fire & Rescue
A person climbed up a high-voltage power line tower for a selfie, got electrocuted and fell 40 feet in Oregon, rescuers said. They fell just after 5 p.m. May 15 near Sellwood Riverfront Park, Portland Fire & Rescue said in a news release.
{snip}
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Person climbs powerline tower to take selfie, receives electric shock, and falls 40 feet (Original Post)
mahatmakanejeeves
May 2024
OP
RandySF
(65,615 posts)1. Natural selection.
SWBTATTReg
(23,443 posts)2. Ha ha heh...YES.
brush
(56,163 posts)4. Exactly. The guy with the scythe missed him this time.
There will probably be another time, considering the guy's thinking to do something that dumb.
keithbvadu2
(38,919 posts)3. Too much flash.
brush
(56,163 posts)5. Heehee. Yeah, in daylight you don't need flash. The sun will generally do...
but in this case, thousands of arcing votes is way too much.
intrepidity
(7,721 posts)6. But how's the pic?
Not even a souvenir, as the phone also likely got fried.
Turbineguy
(38,047 posts)7. Apparently, you have to work harder than that
to make the Darwin Award list.
bucolic_frolic
(45,600 posts)8. Will this be the new 'going over Niagara Falls in a barrel'?
Copycats sure to follow
Deep State Witch
(11,004 posts)9. FAFO
Lemme guess... alcohol was involved.
GiqueCee
(1,156 posts)10. Mr. Darwin...
... we have an award wiener.
3Hotdogs
(13,089 posts)11. Darwin Award honorable mention for trying.
LiberalFighter
(53,036 posts)12. Hopefully the police file charges too.