Two men electrocuted at Georgia Power substation during break-in

What happened

Two men died after they were electrocuted while breaking into a Georgia Power Co. substation in an industrial area south of downtown Gainesville. The deaths happened before dawn on a Monday. Emergency crews were called to an explosion and a possible fire and could not recover the bodies for hours because of the danger from the electricity. Police said the men had entered a fenced area and were trying to steal something, possibly copper wiring. A neighbouring business owner described the substation as securely fenced and well-marked.

Contributing factors

Police reported unauthorised entry into a fenced high-voltage substation while the men were trying to remove materials.

Lessons learned

1. Operators should check that perimeter fencing, gates and signage around substations meet current security standards.
2. Regular checks of industrial substation sites can help identify and deter trespass.
3. Emergency plans should allow time to make circuits safe before recovery work begins.

Source

wyff4.com