Portland Fire & Rescue shared this photo Wednesday, Jan. 17, 2024, of a fallen tree branch that knocked down a power line. Three people died when the power line fell on their vehicle and they tried to exit.
Portland Fire & Rescue
Three people died Wednesday morning after a falling branch brought a power line down onto a vehicle in Northeast Portland.
The line came down just before noon, near Northeast 122nd Avenue and Northeast Siskiyou Street.
Portland Fire & Rescue spokesperson Rick Graves said two adults tried to get out of the SUV, but were electrocuted when their feet touched the ground and completed an electrical circuit with the sparking line. According to KGW-TV, a 15-year-old boy who went to help them touched the car and was also electrocuted.
First responders found the people about 35 feet away from the vehicle.
A baby that was apparently in the car with the three people did not appear initially to be injured. A neighbor grabbed the child out of the street, Graves said. The baby was taken to a hospital for evaluation.
“Portland Fire & Rescue would like to remind you to stay inside your vehicle and contact emergency services to have any downed powerline deenergized prior to exiting,” Graves said in a statement.
Since Friday, at least 11 deaths related to winter storms have now been reported in Oregon. Those deaths were caused by a variety of circumstances, including hypothermia, fires and falling trees.