A man, who was allegedly homeless, was fatally electrocuted while attempting to steal copper wire at a construction site in California. This incident also resulted in a power outage affecting 2,500 homes.
According to police, the unidentified man died on Sunday at a deserted shopping mall undergoing demolition. Eyewitnesses reported hearing a loud explosion around 2 p.m., followed by the blackout that lasted for several hours.
Neighbors quickly responded, with one woman calling for assistance in a state of distress.
Michil Walker, who was there, recalled, “She just kept saying, ‘Help me,’ and I thought, ‘What can I do?'”
Workers at the construction site noted that this wasn’t the first time thefts had occurred, pointing out that people have previously tried to remove copper from the area.
Frederico Velarde, a worker, mentioned, “We’re obviously trying to keep them out for security reasons, but they keep coming back.”
Velarde also indicated that some of these individuals seemed to live on site and were part of a larger group of transients who had been warned about the risks of handling live electrical wires.
Despite the power outage above ground, CBS reported that the underground wiring where the man was electrocuted was still live.
The issue of copper wire theft is widespread in Los Angeles, leading to many neighborhoods experiencing outages as thieves sell the metal for profit. In one instance, damage from stolen wiring on the Sixth Street Bridge alone has cost the city an estimated $2.5 million in repairs.
