Michigan Boy Severely Burned While Trying To Swing On Downed Power Line

A Michigan boy was severely burned this morning (August 30) when he tried to swing on a downed power line, according to Click On Detroit.

The incident occurred this morning in the 13100 block of Toepfer Road in Warren, according to police. A live wire, which contained 4,800 volts of electricity, was hanging about four feet above the ground. The 8-year-old boy saw the downed power line and wanted to swing on it.

The boy and his brother were taken to a nearby hospital, according to police. The 8-year-old child is currently in critical condition. It is unclear what condition his brother is in at the time of this writing. In addition, a third child was at the scene during the time of the incident, but was not injured.

For safety's sake, one should always assume that a fallen power line is live, according to the Pacific Gas and Electric Company. The company provides the following guidelines for dealing with downed power lines:

• Avoid touching the downed line with your hand or an object, such as a stick, broom or pole.
• Avoid touching anything, such as a car, object or equipment, or anyone who is in contact with a fallen power line.
• Keep children and pets away from fallen electric lines.
• Avoid driving over a fallen power line.
• Call 9-1-1 immediately to report a fallen power line.