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HILDALE, Washington County — Officials released the name of the 19-year-old man with severe autism who died Saturday afternoon after he climbed atop a transformer box in a power substation yard and was electrocuted.
Kyle Barlow, of Hildale, scaled the substation yard fence and made contact with high voltage wires while climbing on the transformer box, said Hildale-Colorado City Fire Chief Kevin Barlow. He was instantly electrocuted.
Monday would have been Kyle Barlow's 20th birthday.
The 19-year-old was well-known for being unafraid of heights or danger, the fire chief said.
“He has scaled tall fences, climbed onto roofs and climbed tall trees,” Kevin Barlow added.
Emergency crews responded to the report of the electrocution on North Boxelder Street about 2:25 p.m., and a power lineman arrived on scene minutes after to shut off all electrical energy in the area. The electricity was shut off in both Hildale and Colorado City for about two hours while crews worked to retrieve Kyle Barlow.
Once the lines were de-energized and grounded, crews were able to slide Kyle's body down from the box using a ladder ramp, the chief said.
Prior to the electrocution, the 19-year-old was with his mother who had stopped at a nearby business for a few minutes while he waited in the car. When she returned, Kyle was gone.
She called for help before locating him in the substation yard. Kyle scaled the box within seconds, she told officials.
