W.Va. man electrocuted outside Strasburg home

A 26-year-old West Virginia man was electrocuted Tuesday after a ladder he was carrying struck an electric service line at a home off John Marshall Highway near Strasburg.

According to Capt. Ben Jenkins of Shenandoah County Fire and Rescue, the man was removing a ladder he had just purchased from the homeowner at 6673 John Marshall Highway and wasn't paying attention to the overhead power line and struck it with an aluminum ladder.

The victim suffered burns to his hands and feet, but was awake and talking when Shenandoah County Fire and Rescue and Strasburg Fire Department members arrived on the scene.

Jenkins added that rescue members arrived within three minutes of the 1:32 p.m. call since they were on the scene of a crash at Middle Road and John Marshall Highway. The ambulance transported the victim to the Strasburg Moose where he was airlifted to the Washington Medstar Burn unit.

Jenkins added that the victim was able to leave the scene of the electrocution and reach the burn center in less than an hour.

– Contact Rich Cooley at [email protected]

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