Two Window Washers Critically Injured in Electrical Accident
Two window washes were very critically injured in an accident Saturday in Orinda, Mercury News reported. The two men, Jose Herrera, 51, and Eduardo Guerra, 30, were working for Santa Clara-based Delta Window Cleaning, when the accident occurred outside a three-story Orinda office building around 9:48 a.m. The incident occurred in the parking lot of the Village Square Shopping Center on Orinda Way where the Orinda Farmers Market was underway.
According to ABC News, Herrera and Guerra were in a cherry picker about 50 feet in the air when they hit some high-voltage power wires. Both men were electrocuted and suffered burns over more than 95% of their bodies. Several people at the nearby farmer's market witnessed the explosion and watched helplessly as they cherry picker bucket burned above the ground.
According to the Moraga-Oranda Fire District, when firefighters arrived, they found two victims on a lift platform about 50 feet off the ground, a large crowd in the area, and a live high voltage electrical wire down on the ground. Working cooperatively with police personnel, bystanders were moved back from the arcing power lines while firefighters tried to find a way to lower the lift platform. They were unsuccessful due to electrical damage to the lift controls. Rescue operations were complicated because the victims were trapped fifty feet above the ground near the power lines. Battalion Chief Randy Trumpf said, "We could not affect a rescue until the electrical power could be handled safely to avoid injury to bystanders and rescuers".
The two men were airlifted to the burn center at Santa Clara Valley Medical Center with second- and third-degree burns. A nurse said they were both in very critical condition. Please keep both Jose Herrera and Eduardo Guerra in your prayers.
Continue reading "Two Window Washers Critically Injured in Electrical Accident " »
