A California man accidentally died last week while attempting to hang Christmas lights at a home in San Diego.
According to a San Diego Medical Examiner’s report, Antonio Pascual Mateo, 24, had been hanging lights on the roof of the home near a high voltage power line on Nov. 21. It's unclear whether it was his intent, but Mateo threw the lights over the power line and was subsequently electrocuted. When paramedics arrived, they found him hanging upside down from a tree.
Unfortunately, Mateo was trapped in the tree for an hour while responders waited for the power company to turn off the electricity before he could be rescued. Though paramedics "initiated advanced cardiovascular life support" and transported him to the nearest hospital where he received "aggressive resuscitative efforts," he was pronounced dead. His official cause of death was listed as "high voltage electrocution."
Escondido Battalion Chief said on the scene of the accident that "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."
The tragic incident has sparked a dialogue on safety measures when it comes to hanging up Christmas lights. The Holiday Lighters owner Jay Hobson told Fox 5 San Diego that you should never hang up Christmas lights while they are plugged in. "Organize your stuff. Taking your time is the best," Hobson noted. Men's Journal also offers a complete guide of safety tips for hanging your holiday lights.
A GoFundMe has since been organized to assist Mateo's family with funeral expenses and transport his body to his home country of Guatemala. "He was a brother, a son, and an uncle," the fundraiser stated. "He had so much to live [for], only 24 years old. He always took care of his mother and family."
