Tree Trimmer, 49, Pronounced Dead After Being Found Suspended 30 Feet Above Ground Near High-Voltage Power Lines

A tree trimmer has died after being discovered hanging in a tree below high-voltage power lines in Los Angeles, authorities said.

Firefighters responded at 1:33 p.m. on Wednesday, Nov. 5, to the 9300 block of Kirkside Road in Beverlywood, where they found the man suspended roughly 30 feet above the ground and about six to eight feet beneath active power lines, according to a statement from the Los Angeles Fire Department.

Power in the area was subsequently shut down by the city’s Department of Water and Power. Paramedics pronounced the victim dead at the scene. The Los Angeles County Medical Examiner’s Office later identified him as 49-year-old Javier Lopez Mila of Los Angeles.

Emergency crews then carried out a delicate recovery operation. Aerial footage captured by ABC affiliate KABC showed responders working carefully to remove the victim’s body from the tall tree.

Officials have not confirmed whether contact with the power lines caused the fatality. The Los Angeles Fire Department has not yet provided further comment on the incident.

According to the Electrical Safety Foundation, the tree-trimming industry experiences one of the highest rates of workplace electrical fatalities. Of these deaths, 84% occur when workers come into contact with overhead power lines. The organization also reports that 70% of all electrical-related fatalities happen in occupations not primarily focused on electrical work.

The foundation advises professionals to maintain at least 10 feet of distance between themselves — and their tools — and any power lines. It also recommends using “ground-fault protection” and staying vigilant for electrical hazards in the surrounding area.

“Be aware of energized equipment or parts near you,” the Electrical Safety Foundation cautioned. “Many fatalities occur from workers accidentally coming in contact with energized equipment or parts near them.”