Man electrocuted to death and left dangling upside down in harness while hanging Christmas lights
A strange accident left a man hanging upside down after he was electrocuted to death while installing Christmas lights.
Antonio Pascual Mateo, 24, electrocuted himself after throwing lights over a power wire and was left dangling from a tree for an hour while strapped to his harness.
Mateo passed away in a strange accident on November 21 while he was putting Christmas lights on the roof of a house in San Diego.
After arriving on the scene, the Escondido Fire Department discovered a “worker suspended in the air via a waist harness.”
Fire authorities told Fox affiliate KSWB-TV that it seemed he had touched some high-power tension lines.
Fire personnel waited for San Diego Gas & Electric crews to turn off the power in the area before rescuing Mateo, who had been hanging from the tree for an hour.
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Mateo was taken by first responders to Palomar Medical Center, where they declared him dead.
Mateo electrocuted himself when he threw lights over a high-voltage power line, and a medical examiner declared his death to be an accident.
To raise money for Mateo’s funeral and repatriation to Guatemala, family members set up a GoFundMeto.
According to the post, “[Mateo] was a brother, a son, and an uncle,”
Antonio Pascual was his name. At just 24, he had a lot of life yet to live.
“He had been working on decorating the tree with Christmas lights. He always looked out for his family and mother.
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Unfortunately, as he was repairing the Christmas lights, he was electrocuted by the electrical wires. For an hour, he remained locked in the tree after falling.
“The rescue crew had to wait for the power company to cut the electricity. He will always be young since it is too late to save him.
“Christmas lights forever having a meaning to us, he will remain in our hearts for eternity.”
The family has raised roughly $13,500 of its $20,000 target as of Wednesday.
The Holiday Lighters’ owner, Jay Hobson, cautioned people against hanging Christmas lights while connected to an electrical outlet.
“Get your belongings in order. “It’s best to take your time,” Hobson told KSWB-TV.
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Additionally, Christlight installer and SD Light Guys owner Emelio Linares advised taking your time when installing lights.
“If you’re ever in doubt when it comes to electrical, take a second, reassess,” he said.
Christmas decorating safety tips
According to the US Consumer Product Safety Commission (UPSC), there are over 160 Christmas decorating-related accidents every day on average throughout the holiday season.
When decorating your home for the holidays, keep the following safety advice in mind, provided by the UPSC:
- Ensure your live Christmas tree has plenty of water, and watch for the “fire resistant” level when buying an artificial tree.
- Never leave candles unattended.
- Place burning candles in sight, away from flammable items.
- Blow out or sniff candles out before leaving a room or home.
- Never string together more than three sets of incandescent lights.
- Never overload electrical outlets, which can spark a fire.
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