Woman killed next to her dog in Mendota, California after stepping on a power line in the dark that fell to the ground after being damaged in a fire
- Power pole was damaged by a fire on Monday and later collapsed
- Police believe it would have been invisible in the dark
- It is being investigated whether the damage has been reported
A dog walker was killed along with her pet when they tripped over downed power lines damaged in a fire two days earlier.
The California woman, who has yet to be identified, was walking along a rural stretch of Highway 180 and San Mateo Avenue near her home east of Mendota around 5 a.m. Wednesday.
She is believed to have been electrocuted by live cables lying on the ground and invisible in the dark.
On Monday, a crew from the California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection (Calfire) extinguished a blaze that scorched a power pylon on the same stretch of road, according to abc30. com
“It appears the pole and wires fell to the ground recently and she didn’t see them because of the darkness and ran into the live wires, killing her and the dog,” a Fresno Sheriff’s Office spokesman said in a statement. a statement.
The secluded spot outside of Mendota, California, where the woman was electrocuted
Another hiker later found the woman and called 911, but emergency services were unable to revive her when they arrived.
It is unclear whether Calfire reported the damaged pole to PG&E and how the energy supplier responded.
An investigation has been launched, but the tragedy provoked angry reactions on the sheriff’s Facebook page.
“Someone is at fault here and is guilty of causing the death of an innocent woman and her dog,” Carolyn Dodd wrote.
“So nobody examined the post to see its strength/integrity after being damaged by a fire?” asked Jennie Norris Smith. ‘Serious?’
Dailymail.com has reached out to both organizations for comment.