DETROIT – Police said a 15-year-old boy was working at a building in Detroit on Friday when he came in contact with high-voltage power lines and died.
He was pronounced dead on scene. The investigation has been turned over to the Detroit Police Department.
Local 4 has learned that the boy was helping clean a vacant warehouse. His mother said he was trying to earn some money to get her something for Mother’s Day.
The family of the boy, who said his name is Manuel, believes he was bending over to clean something when his arm hit the wire and he was killed instantly.
The incident happened at a warehouse on Woodrow Wilson Street -- just off the Lodge Freeway.
DTE Energy released the following statement:
“We learned this evening that a 15-year-old boy, while on the roof of an apparently vacant warehouse on Detroit’s west side, inadvertently came into contact with DTE’s overhead power line and tragically was electrocuted. This is an urgent reminder of the inherent danger of energized power lines and the need to always stay at least 20 feet away from any line. Always assume that power lines are `live.’ Our thoughts and prayers go out to the boy’s loved ones.”