Man working on power lines in Bloomfield left dangling after pole snaps
A utility contractor working in Bloomfield on Tuesday afternoon was saved by the harness he was wearing when a pole snapped and fell onto the bucket truck he was using, according to Pittsburgh police.
The incident happened around 4:30 p.m. at the intersection of Liberty Avenue and South Matilida Street.
The man, whose name was not released, was working on the wood utility pole when it snapped and collapsed onto the bucket he was using to reach the upper sections of the pole, a police spokeswoman said.
The bucket broke apart when it was struck, causing the man to dangle from the safety harness he was wearing, police said.
A coworker in a second bucket truck was able to rescue the man. The man suffered minor rib injuries and was transported to the hospital in stable condition for treatment.
City police shut down Liberty Avenue between South Matilida and Friendship Avenue because live wires fell to the ground.
Duquesne Light, for whom the man was working as a contractor, responded to the scene to assist with cleanup and to repair the damaged utility lines.
Tony LaRussa is a TribLive reporter. A Pittsburgh native, he covers crime and courts in the Alle-Kiski Valley. He can be reached at tlarussa@triblive.com.
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