Tree trimmer dies after hitting high-power line in Northborough

NORTHBOROUGH, Mass. — Northborough Police said a man in his mid-20s was up in a bucket truck trimming trees along South Street Wednesday when he hit a high-power line. Fred Mueller lives across the street and said his wife saw it happen.

“When it first started, it was smoke at the bottom of the thing, she was like, ‘what’s that,’ and then some fire was coming out of the smoke. And so, she came out to tell the guys who were working out here, ‘what’s happening across the street,’ next thing you know it was an explosion,” Mueller said.

Shortly after that explosion, neighbors learned that worker died on the scene.

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“At this time, it appears to be a tragic accident,” said Lt. Brian Griffin with Northborough Police.

Northborough Police along with Mass. State Police and OSHA are now investigating exactly how it happened. Police said the victim’s coworker called 911 after that young man hit the power line.

“Our officers arrived on scene soon after the 911 call, it was determined that the victim who was trimming the trees was deceased upon their arrival,” Lt. Griffin said.

Power had to be shut off to the neighborhood for hours following the deadly accident. The main street was also shut down when Mueller tried to return home.

“A policeman was up here, I think it was a state policeman, I couldn’t come down the street, but he let me park up here and he told me, I said, “can I go to my home,” and he said ‘yes, but just don’t look across the street you won’t want to see it,’” Mueller said.

Police said the medical examiner still needs to determine the exact cause of this worker’s death and that, at this point, they are not identifying that victim.

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