By staff writers and wires
April 03, 2008 02:17pm
Article from: news.com.au

THE body of a power worker electrocuted while making repairs following strong winds dangled high above the ground for 90 minutes this afternoon.

Victorian emergency workers had to wait for the local power authority to switch off the current at the scene in Mornington to allow the man's body to be retrieved.

Police said initial investigations indicated the power company worker was electrocuted while making repairs to a power pole and line at Beleura Hill about 12:20pm (AEDT).

A passer-by witnessed the incident and flagged down a police vehicle.

The 38-year-old Somerville man's body was retrieved just before 2pm.

A Country Fire Authority rescue crew used extender ladders to help get the man down from the power pole.

Metropolitan Ambulance Service spokesman Paul Bentley said the man was pronounced dead after his body was retrieved from the powerlines.

"We had to wait for the power company to switch off the power before a Country Fire Authority crew were able to retrieve his body," Mr Bentley said.

A spokeswoman for power supplier Alinta said the company would issue a statement later today about the death of a company employee.

WorkSafe spokesman Michael Birt said inspectors were on the scene.

Energy Safe Victoria spokesman David Guthrie-Jones said the agency would provide technical assistance to WorkSafe.

"Two senior investigators from Energy Safe Victoria are on site and a full report will be provided to all the relevant authorities as well as the coroner," Mr Guthrie-Jones said.

"Obviously this is a very tragic accident."

Mr Birt said the man's death was worrying, coming the day after a worker was killed when steel girders and scaffolding collapsed on a building site in Melbourne on Wednesday morning.

"Two (workplace) deaths in two days is too many," he said.

WorkSafe was investigating whether the building worker's death was related to yesterday's high winds.

http://www.news.com.au/story/0,23599,23477302-2,00.html