Electrocution Kills 22-Year-Old Billboard Worker from Effingham

A 22-year-old man working on billboard east of Centralia was killed last week as a result of making contact with a high-voltage power line that electrocuted him.

According to Marion County Coroner Troy Cannon, the deadly work accident took place just after 1 pm on Wednesday, Oct. 22^nd when the man was attempting to replace the fabric on a billboard along Illinois Route 161.

As part of this process, the man, who worked for Dusty’s Outdoor Media of Effingham, was handling a large metal rod that pulls the billboard fabric tight across the board. This rod reportedly touched the power line, causing the electrocution. As Cannon explained to local reporters:

The current traveled through the equipment, through [the victim’s] body, through the metal ladder and into the ground. We believe he was killed instantly.

Following the electrocution, the man’s metal ladder reportedly gave way, causing him to fall about 15 feet to the ground.

Witnesses Respond to Provide Immediate Help

Two passersby who saw the man fall from his ladder responded immediately, pulling off of the highway to attempt to provide the man with CPR before emergency responders arrived at the scene. Tragically, however, these resuscitation attempts provide unsuccessful, and the man, who was eventually taken to St. Mary’s Hospital in Centralia, was pronounced dead just after 1:20 pm.

Currently, various authorities, including those at the Marion County Sheriff’s Department and the federal Occupational Safety and Health Administration, are conducting their own investigations into this fatal accident. According to Cannon, no autopsy is planned at this time, given that the cause of the death is clear to authorities.

As more news about this incident becomes available, we will report the latest updates to you here in a future blog. In the meantime, tell us what you think on Facebook & Google+.

Contact a Mount Vernon Workers Compensation Lawyer at the Law Firm of Hassakis & Hassakis, P.C.

Have you or a loved one been hurt in a work accident? Or have you been diagnosed with an occupational disease? If so, an experienced Mount Vernon workers compensation lawyer at the Law Firm of Hassakis & Hassakis, P.C. is ready to vigorously advocate your rights to financial recovery. Since 1950, we have been providing the highest quality legal services and representation to our clients and doing everything we can to help them get the maximum possible compensation for their losses and injuries.

To learn more about how we can help you, contact us by calling (888) 896-9381 or by emailing us using the form at the upper right-hand side of the page. We can provide you with a free, thorough assessment of your case, along with professional advice regarding the best manner in which to move forward.