BEAUMONT: 2 trapped by power lines after crash
BEAUMONT: 2 trapped by power lines after crash
ADVERTISEMENT
Two people were hospitalized Sunday, August 16, after they crashed into a utility pole and were trapped by downed power lines for more than an hour.
The two-vehicle crash was reported at 6:03 a.m. at the intersection of West Oak Valley Parkway and Oak View Drive in Beaumont. When CAL FIRE/Riverside County firefighters responded, they found power lines draped across the vehicles, with both drivers trapped inside the cars, a Riverside County Fire Department news release states.
The power company was contacted, but it took roughly an hour for Southern California Edison to shut off the power lines, the news release states. Firefighters were unable to access the patients because of the electrical hazard. One of the vehicles was lodged against a chain link fence.
One of the drivers was unresponsive and taken to an area hospital with major injuries. The other patient was transported for minor injuries.
The downed power lines are expected to interrupt service in the area until about 6 p.m. Sunday. Southern California Edison is on scene working to restore power to the 2,500 affected residents. For further information, contact the power company at 800-655-4555.
At noon, the city will open a cooling center at the Albert A. Chatigny Center for residents affected by the outage.
Anyone who witnessed the crash is asked to call the� Beaumont Police Department watch commander at 951-769-8500.
