18.02.2015

Near miss in Toronto

A man escaped injury in Toronto Canada yesterday after his work platform came into contact with a live overhead street-car power line.

While he waited to be rescued the man was able to crouch down inside the scorched platform, keeping a distance between him and the wires. He was also lucky in that the power running through the street-car lines is just 600 volts DC.

The man, employed by Four by Eight Signs, was working from a 60ft/20 metre Elliot V60 telescopic truck mounted lift, with steel platform. He was working on a building under construction when the side of the platform touched the power lines. CCTV cameras recorded the platform touching the wires and generating a large flash, and a shower of sparks which rained down on pedestrians below.
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The man crouching down in the platform while awaiting rescue

The emergency services arrived quite quickly and managed to shut the power off, allowing them to rescue the trapped man. There were no injuries this time, although the man was taken to hospital for a check up.