23.07.2026

Electrocution in Kansas

A man died on Saturday after taking the basket of his truck mounted aerial work platform too close to live high voltage overhead power lines in El Dorado, Kansas, northeast of Wichita.

When the emergency services arrived, they found the basket/bucket near a conductor between two primary high voltage electrical lines. The person in the platform showed no signs of life.
A spokesperson for the town of El Dorado said: “Dorado Fire Department, Butler County EMS, and local law enforcement responded to a report of an electrocution on North Denver Street this Saturday.

“When the first responders arrived, they found a person in the bucket of a high-lift device, between two high voltage electrical lines. They could not confirm whether the electrical lines were still energised or not, so they had to wait before they were able to reach the person. This is consistent with established electrical rescue procedures.”

“Someone from the utility company Evergy was sent to confirm that the lines were de-energised. The Evergy employee operated the lift controls to lower the bucket, and responders reached the person in the bucket, who had died.”

An investigation remains ongoing.