A California man was electrocuted in a freak accident as he was in the middle of a routine task millions of people do in preparation for the upcoming holiday season.
Antonio Pascual Mateo was hanging lights on the property and around a tree outside a client’s home in Escondido, Calif. when he threw the string of lights over a powerline.
The lights touched the live wire and created a circuit that caused electricity to flow, electrocuting the 24-year-old worker, according to the San Diego County Medical Examiner.
First responders found Mateo hanging upside down from the tree, where he remained stuck for an hour while they were forced to wait for San Diego Gas & Electric (SDG&E) to cut off the power so they could rescue the man.
“First unit arrived on scene and found a worker suspended in the air via a waist harness, it appeared that he had come in contact with some high-power tension lines,” Escondido Battalion Chief told KUSI.
When Mateo was rescued, first responders attempted “advanced cardiovascular life support” before transporting him to the Palomar Medical Center roughly six miles away.
Mateo was pronounced dead, an hour and 22 minutes after the incident occurred.
His death was ruled an accident by “high voltage electrocution.”
Mateo’s family paid tribute to him, describing their loved one as someone who “always took care of his mother and family.”
“To late to save, forever young he will remain,” Juan Pascual said in a GoFundMe.
The grieving family was looking for help raising $20,000 to help pay for the arraignments of transporting Mateo’s remains from California to his native Guatemala where his mother could receive them and he would be buried.
“He was a brother, a son and an uncle. His name was Antonio Pascual. He had so much to live, only 24 years old,” the fundraiser added.
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The holiday season is not only a busy time for traveling but also for hospital visits as approximately 160 injuries happening a day related to Christmas decorating, the US Consumer Product Safety Commission reported.
Most injuries are related to falls, but can also be attributed to electrical fires.
During the 2023 holiday season — Nov. 1 2022 to Jan. 31, 2023 — about 14,900 people were treated in hospital emergency departments for holiday decorating-related injuries.
The CPSC recommends Christmas trees should always have water or if purchasing an artificial tree, should look out for it being “Fire Resistant.”
To avoid electrical fires, the commission warns consumers to not string together more than three incandescent lights while also avoiding overloading outlets.
Experts suggest being patient when it comes to working with electricity, especially decorations.
“If you’re ever in doubt when it comes to electrical, take a second, reassess,” Christmas Light Installer Emelio Linares told Fox 5 San Diego.
