Texan dies from suspected electrocution near Election Day polling place
Houston Mayor Sylvester turner said the unidentified city employee was killed in a work-related accident on Tuesday, November 8, at Melrose Park and ABC 13 reports the person was likely electrocuted in the basket of a cherry picker truck that was extended near a flood light pole at the community center. Centerpoint Energy said in a statement to the Houston Chronicle “the individual was working on customer-owned equipment … to install lighting at the park.”
Houston police reportedly received the report for a possible electrocution at the park around noon and the employee was pronounced dead at 12:28 p.m., the Houston Fire Department confirmed to the Houston Chronicle.
“My prayers are with the employee’s family and co-workers, and I ask all Houstonians to keep them in your prayers,” Turner said.
Power was restored to the polling place shortly after 2 p.m. and was subsequently closed for Election Day voting. Voters were redirected to nearby polling places at the Hardy Street Senior Citizens Center and The Victory International Church.
In San Antonio, four polling places temporarily lost power during voting hours on Election Day. The four Northside locations at Huebner Elementary, Hidden Forest Elementary, Hartman Center, and Hill Country Village reported outages that were restored by 5 p.m. More than 6,000 CPS Energy customers also lost power at times during the outage.
