Two adults and a teenager have died after being electrocuted by a downed power line during winter storms in Oregon.
The victims, who have not been named, died after the cables fell on their car and shocked them in Portland – with one victim being set on fire by the current.
They died when their feet hit the pavement as electricity flowed beneath them – through the car, through them and into the ground.
A two-year-old toddler, who was also in the vehicle but survived, was reportedly pulled from one of the victim’s arms by a witness as he lay dead.
The horrific accident happened around 11:45 a.m. Wednesday at an intersection in the city’s Russell neighborhood.
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Several people died after being electrocuted by a power line that fell — along with a branch — in Northeast Portland on Wednesday morning. Police believe the group – which included a teenager, a toddler and two adults – left the car after being frightened by the branch
They died when their feet hit the ground as electricity from the live wire (seen here) flowed beneath them – through the car, through it and into the ground
“If they had stayed in the vehicle, in all likelihood we might not have been having this conversation,” a stricken Portland Fire and Rescue representative Rick Graves said Wednesday.
The fire official further explained how firefighters responded to reports of the downed line — and man on fire — in the 12300 block of Northeast Siskiyou Street as severe winter weather continues to batter the region.
Upon arrival, they found the group of four on the ground outside the car, as well as a fallen branch that had struck a power line on the way down.
The branch, as footage from the scene showed afterward, fell directly onto the vehicle, Graves said.
He then peddled his fearful theory that the group – who have yet to be identified – got scared and tried to leave the car.
Unfortunately, their bodies were still in contact with the car, the official explained, essentially creating a battery powered by the current pumping beneath them.
“When the individuals’ feet hit the ground and their bodies hit the car, they became part of the active electrical circuit that resulted in their deaths,” the Portland firefighter said.
The two adults and a teenager, he revealed, were pronounced dead at the scene.
The incident occurred around 11:45 a.m. Wednesday at an intersection in the city’s Russel neighborhood, when 911 calls suddenly came in about a person on fire.
As of Tuesday, it is unknown which of the victims – specified only as “two adults and a teenager” – was set on fire
a passerby rescued a two-year-old child from the wreckage, straight from the arms of one of the electrocuted adults, police said in a statement – which also revealed that the boy somehow survived
The rest were unfortunately not so lucky and were electrocuted after getting out of their SUV when it was hit by a branch. They died when their feet hit the pavement as electricity flowed beneath them — through the car, through them and into the ground, fire officials said.
“If they had stayed in the vehicle,” veteran Portland Fire and Rescue spokesman Rick Graves said Wednesday, “we might not be having this conversation.”
The two-year-old was taken to an area hospital and is said to be in stable condition. The extent of their injuries was still unknown on Wednesday.
Also unknown, fire officials said, is the relationship between the four victims — only the latest to die from winter weather in the Portland metro area since last Friday.
As of Wednesday, the region has recorded at least 10 weather-related deaths since the recent wild weather.
Multnomah County reported four deaths from hypothermia, while neighboring Washington County also blamed a resident’s death on medical conditions.
In a very similar incident that occurred early Saturday, a tree fell on an RV parked in the city, downing power lines and starting a fire.
One person died while another was injured, while a few miles away in Lake Oswego, an elderly man died after a tree fell on their home.
The total number of deaths on Wednesday is 10 as fallen trees continue to cause damage to power lines, roads, vehicles and homes across Portland.
The fire official further explained how firefighters responded to reports of the downed line — and man on fire — in the 12300 block of Northeast Siskiyou Street as severe winter weather continues to lash the region.
The two-year-old was taken to an area hospital and is said to be in stable condition. The extent of their injuries was still unknown on Wednesday.
Also unknown, fire officials said, is the relationship between the four victims — only the latest to die from winter weather in the Portland metro area since last Friday.
Graves on Wednesday called the three deaths preventable because the investigation is still ongoing. The names of the victims were not yet known on Wednesday evening
Meanwhile, strong, cold winds and precipitation are forecast to continue into next week. Fire officials are also investigating whether a generator played a role in the deaths of two women during a fire at a Northeast Portland church early Sunday.
Amid this wave of deaths, Graves and other officials warned people about approaching downed wires.
He also advised that in the event that an electrical cable comes into contact with a vehicle you are driving, the occupants should remain indoors – due to the fact that the car’s tires, which are rubber, will block the flow.
Meanwhile, Portland’s deadly winter storm continues, with demand for shelter Tuesday evening the highest single-night total in the city’s history — as 1,269 people stayed in one of dozens of warming shelters.
As a result, officials extended the state of emergency in several provinces until Wednesday afternoon.
Still, Graves told citizens on Wednesday not to call 911 unless there is “imminent danger,” calling the three deaths Wednesday preventable as the investigation is ongoing.
DailyMail.com has contacted Portland Fire and Rescue for comment.