Post by IAMCAPER on Dec 2, 2005 9:36:28 GMT -4
Sydney - Two Sydney area men died by electrocution after attempting to remove a sign at a Grand Lake Road business Thursday afternoon. Business owner Garth Wilson of Trim and Sign Design was taking down an old sign and erecting a new one with the help of friend Kevin Quinlan.
A truck operated by Wilson had a boom extended to lift the old sign out of place when the boom swung around and touched power lines holding 7,500 volts of electricity.
Wilson received the initial massive shock. Quinlan, coming to the aid of his friend, was killed when he touched the electrified truck and Wilson.
Cape Breton Regional Police officers, who were within sight of the accident at the nearby police headquarters, arrived on the scene shortly after 2:15 p.m. and immediately began performing CPR.
“They were working on the men for maybe 10 or 15 minutes, maybe a little longer,” Sgt. Joe Melnick said. “When paramedics were on scene the officers still helped out.”
Both men were pronounced dead at the Cape Breton Regional Hospital in Sydney less than an hour after the accident happened. A third unidentified man at the scene wasn’t injured.
Power was interrupted briefly at traffic lights at four intersections from the Sydney Port Access Road to Cape Breton University. The Cape Breton Regional Police headquarters was also running on a backup generator for a time, said traffic Sgt. Barry Gordon, who along with several other officers were directing traffic on the reduced four-lane highway.
Traffic was backed up in both directions as some motorists making their afternoon commute home slowed to see what was happening.
Police investigators secured the area with police tape as they and officials from the Department of Labour conducted the initial stages of the industrial accident investigation.
The sign that was being removed fell on the front lawn of Elaine and Sheldon Boutilier’s house. The couple was renting the home from Wilson.
“I saw the big puff of smoke and didn’t see anything else,” said Elaine Boutilier, who saw it from the picture window in her living room.
Sheldon Boutilier, a close friend of Wilson’s, rushed home from work to learn the horrible news.
Boutilier described Wilson as a man with an incredible work ethic.
“He was a tough, strong guy. If there’s anybody who could ever pull through something like that, it would be him,” he said.
The whole situation was too much for Angela McDonald to bear. She worked as a graphic artist for Wilson.
She also rented an apartment from Wilson, above his business.
“I just heard the ambulance coming and I ran up (to the road) as soon as I could. The first thing I thought was the big sign fell on them,” McDonald said through tears.
She broke down when asked about Quinlan, who, along with his son Trevor, have organized the annual Coats for Kids campaign as part of the Sydney Christmas parade for the last several years.
“He was helping Garth as a favour.”
The Labour Department has impounded the truck to inspect it as part of its investigation.
“We’ll know more as we gather more facts. We won’t have a final answer for maybe six to eight weeks,” said Mark McKillop, an occupational health and safety officer with the department.
A truck operated by Wilson had a boom extended to lift the old sign out of place when the boom swung around and touched power lines holding 7,500 volts of electricity.
Wilson received the initial massive shock. Quinlan, coming to the aid of his friend, was killed when he touched the electrified truck and Wilson.
Cape Breton Regional Police officers, who were within sight of the accident at the nearby police headquarters, arrived on the scene shortly after 2:15 p.m. and immediately began performing CPR.
“They were working on the men for maybe 10 or 15 minutes, maybe a little longer,” Sgt. Joe Melnick said. “When paramedics were on scene the officers still helped out.”
Both men were pronounced dead at the Cape Breton Regional Hospital in Sydney less than an hour after the accident happened. A third unidentified man at the scene wasn’t injured.
Power was interrupted briefly at traffic lights at four intersections from the Sydney Port Access Road to Cape Breton University. The Cape Breton Regional Police headquarters was also running on a backup generator for a time, said traffic Sgt. Barry Gordon, who along with several other officers were directing traffic on the reduced four-lane highway.
Traffic was backed up in both directions as some motorists making their afternoon commute home slowed to see what was happening.
Police investigators secured the area with police tape as they and officials from the Department of Labour conducted the initial stages of the industrial accident investigation.
The sign that was being removed fell on the front lawn of Elaine and Sheldon Boutilier’s house. The couple was renting the home from Wilson.
“I saw the big puff of smoke and didn’t see anything else,” said Elaine Boutilier, who saw it from the picture window in her living room.
Sheldon Boutilier, a close friend of Wilson’s, rushed home from work to learn the horrible news.
Boutilier described Wilson as a man with an incredible work ethic.
“He was a tough, strong guy. If there’s anybody who could ever pull through something like that, it would be him,” he said.
The whole situation was too much for Angela McDonald to bear. She worked as a graphic artist for Wilson.
She also rented an apartment from Wilson, above his business.
“I just heard the ambulance coming and I ran up (to the road) as soon as I could. The first thing I thought was the big sign fell on them,” McDonald said through tears.
She broke down when asked about Quinlan, who, along with his son Trevor, have organized the annual Coats for Kids campaign as part of the Sydney Christmas parade for the last several years.
“He was helping Garth as a favour.”
The Labour Department has impounded the truck to inspect it as part of its investigation.
“We’ll know more as we gather more facts. We won’t have a final answer for maybe six to eight weeks,” said Mark McKillop, an occupational health and safety officer with the department.