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SALT LAKE CITY — A man who was part of a private tree removal company was in extremely critical condition Friday after suffering a severe electrical shock on the job.
The man, whose name was not immediately released, was part of a group removing a tree near 300 South and 1130 East. A crane was being used in the process.
About 12:20 p.m., the man was near the crane and touched after it had become "energized," either by touching a live wire overhead or being near it, Salt Lake police detective Greg Wilking said. The man became "engaged for some time," unable to pull his hand away from the crane as he continued to be shocked, he said.
"It's just an unfortunate accident," Wilking said.
The detective said he believed the man had been moved to a hospital burn unit by late afternoon, which is "a little bit of an upgrade," though he was still in extremely critical condition.
The wire was not damaged and no power to the area was lost. Representatives from the Occupational Health and Safety Administration investigated, Wilking said.
A representative from Wagstaff Cranes said the crane was being rented to Atlas Tree Service, but was not being operated by a Wagstaff employee.
