Two die after being electrocuted while working on church roof, Maryland cops say
A deadly power line incident electrocuted two men working on the roof of a church, Maryland police said.
Screengrab from WRC-TV video.
Two men working on the roof of a Maryland church died after being electrocuted by a power line, police said and news outlets reported.
The deadly incident happened at about 10 a.m. May 6, a spokesperson for the Prince George's County Fire Department told McClatchy News. The men, who have not been identified, were working to repair shingles on the roof of First Baptist Church of Camp Springs, WRC-TV reported.
McClatchy News reached out to the church May 6 but did not receive an immediate response.
According to a preliminary investigation, the fire began when a ladder touched a power line, a spokesperson for Prince George's County Police Department told McClatchy News in a May 6 email.
Witnesses told WRC-TV they saw the men's bodies on fire but couldn't step in and help. It took about 45 minutes for the power company to turn off the power so emergency responders could step in, according to the outlet.
McClatchy News reached out to PEPCO, the energy company, May 6 but did not receive an immediate response. A spokesperson for the company told WJLA they were aware of the incident.
'Our thoughts are with the individuals impacted by this event,' the spokesperson said, according to the outlet. 'We are working closely with local authorities as the investigation continues.'
Police said the Office of the Chief Medial Examiner will decide the cause of death.
Camp Springs is about a 20-mile drive southeast from Washington, D.C.
Natalie Demaree
mcclatchy-newsroom Go to X Email this person 479-616-0125
Natalie Demaree is a national real time reporter covering religion and the Southeast region for McClatchy Media. She holds a master's in journalism from Columbia Journalism School and a bachelor's in journalism and political science with a specialization in African and African American Studies from the University of Arkansas.
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