Doctors are reporting that the Idaho Power contractor who came into contact with a 20,000-volt power line on the afternoon of Jan. 4 won't lose any limbs as a result of the incident.
The man, whose name isn't being released by Idaho Power, was working one mile west of Carey when the incident occurred and is a Western Line Builders employee.
He's being treated at the University of Utah Health Care Burn Center in Salt Lake City. Idaho Power spokeswoman Stephanie McCurdy said an Idaho Power lineman who is a friend of the man visited him Sunday and said he is up and walking around, sitting in a chair and "back to his old self." McCurdy said that by Friday he was "doing better than doctors anticipated." At that time, he was up and walking around, asking for something to eat.
The 9-1-1 call for the incident came in at 2:57 p.m. on Jan. 4, according to Wood River Fire & Rescue assistant chief Jeff Nevins. Wood River responded but the Carey Quick Response Unit was first to arrive on scene, finding the man unconscious and burned. Nevins said the Carey unit called in a Life Flight helicopter to be met at Friedman Memorial Airport. He said the Carey ambulance drove toward the airport and treated the burns, meeting Wood River Fire & Rescue along the way. At that point, the man was transferred to Wood River's ambulance, which took him the rest of the way to the airport.
Nevins said the man was conscious when transferred to Wood River Fire & Rescue but not very cognizant.
Trevon Milliard: tmilliard@mtexpress.com
