Man dies after truck trailer hits overhead wires

The trailer struck power lines more than eight metres high and the man was killed – most likely because he was in such a hurry to leave the vehicle.

AS “Sadales tīkls” reminds residents, especially drivers of large specialized equipment, to always pay attention to any wires in the area that may be damaged during operation. Perhaps knowing the correct course of action when machinery comes into contact with wires can save the life of the vehicle driver.

The company stresses that when faced with such a situation, it is important not to leave the equipment in a hurry, as this would put people in the zone of influence of the fatally dangerous step voltage. If possible, the vehicle should continue to move away from the danger zone – at least eight meters from the scene of the accident. The emergency services must then be informed of the accident immediately by calling 112 (National Fire and Rescue Service) or 8404 (“Distribution Network” Damage Report Number). No other person should be allowed to approach the scene of the accident until the services arrive.

If it is not possible to move with the car, you must immediately call the emergency services, who will disconnect the voltage – only when the services arrive is it completely safe to get out of the car. If there is no communication option, stay in the car and call for help.

Only if the equipment is on fire and threatens life, you need to evacuate the equipment and remember the step voltage – otherwise people are at risk of fatal electric shock. This means you have to move by jumping, putting your feet together or crawling so that there is only one point of contact with the ground. “Distribution Network” Safety Electrical Engineering Experts summarize the correct action guide step by step In the video descriptionIt was created in collaboration with the forestry company SIA “Rairu”, which wants to draw the attention of its employees to take correct, non-life-threatening actions in similar accidents.

Every year, the “Sadales tīkls” records hundreds of incidents of damage to the power grid, which occur during various economic works – most often, cable lines are damaged due to uncoordinated excavation works.

The company reminds that when working near the power grid, the requirements of the Guardrail Act must be observed. All the most important information about working in protected areas, work coordination, safety requirements and actions to be taken in the event of a power outage can be found in the downloadable poster On the Distribution Network home page.

Both the poster and the video on proper evacuation instructions are available for anyone to view free of charge.