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CNN Live Sunday

Painter Dangles 400 Feet Above Ground

Aired September 01, 2002 - 17:12   ET

THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.

FREDRICKA WHITFIELD, CNN ANCHOR: In Louisiana, an accident on a high tower sent an Oklahoma painter plunging into a perilous predicament. He was left dangling 400 feet above the ground with a safety harness as his only lifeline. Josh McElveen with CNN affiliate WWL has more on this dramatic rescue.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

JOSH MCELVEEN, CHANNEL 4 REPORTER (voice over): Nearby residents say the bang could be heard from up to a mile away.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: I heard an explosion and all the power went off in my house.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: I thought it was going to be something really huge because it was a very big noise.

MCELVEEN: Contractors were busy painting this electrical tower more than 400 feet off the ground when something went terribly wrong.

GEORGE RIGAMER, JEFFERSON PARISH FIRE DEPT.: The electricity flashed. We don't know why at this point but it contacted at least one worker that we know of, we think another worker had a minor injury, and left him dangling unconscious about 400 feet above ground.

MCELVEEN: Somehow the painter had accidentally injured himself among the power lines and badly burned all he could do was dangle in the safety harness high above the ground and wait for help to arrive.

RIGAMER: The fire department had to physically climb up 400 feet in order to secure the man. There was a big rescue operation involving some of the contracting company crew and firefighters on the scene. A truck was used as a weight in order to move the ropes back and forth. Several ropes had to be used as a safety precaution. We're not only concerned about the victim's safety but also our firefighters and the other crew that were on the tower.

MCELVEEN: As the injured man is lowered to the ground, a fellow contractor repelled just below him, a crucial part of the rescue, as that high off the ground, any number of things could go wrong.

MCELVEEN (on camera): Now according to Entergy, approximately 230 kilovolts of electricity travels through this tower, servicing more than 100,000 customers, certainly a lot of power and that's why the fire department says that this rescue is about as dangerous as it gets. RIGAMER: To climb up 400 feet and then try to reach a victim that's being supported by a very small rope in the middle of a tower. They actually had to swing over to get to him. This is about as harrowing as it gets.

MCELVEEN (voice over): As for what did go wrong, Entergy is still investigating and crediting those on the scene with getting the victim off of the tower.

CHANEL LAGARDE, ENTERGY SPOKESMAN: Thanks to the heroic works of his crewmembers and the fire department, he was able to get down safely and he is a lucky man.

MCELVEEN: Josh McElveen, Channel 4 Eyewitness News.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

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