WARREN, Mich. – An 8-year-old boy was severely burned when he tried to swing on a downed power line in Warren, and his brother and two officers were shocked trying to pull him off, police said.
The incident happened around 9:10 a.m. Tuesday (Aug. 30) in the 13100 block of Toepfer Road, Warren police Commissioner Bill Dwyer said.
Officers were already in the area for an unrelated issued when they saw the 8-year-old boy clinging to a 4,800-volt live wire, according to authorities.
“They immediately exited their vehicle, immediately pulled the 8-year-old off the live wire, and also the 10-year-old brother,” Dwyer said. “They immediately jumped into their vehicles with the victims, took them down to St. John main hospital.”
Police said the 8-year-old wanted to swing from the wire, which was hanging about four feet off the ground. His 10-year-old brother tried to help pull him off, and he also got shocked.
“It was the 10-year-old, along with the two officers, that were all three, quite frankly, trying to save the life of the 8-year-old,” Dwyer said.
The children were both taken to Ascension St. John Hospital, and the 8-year-old was eventually transferred to Children’s Hospital in Detroit, Dwyer said. He has severe burns and is listed in critical condition.
“Their quick action hopefully saved his life,” Dwyer said. “It’s just a very, very difficult situation that we’re dealing with this morning.”
Officials said the 10-year-old brother seems to be OK. He is still at Ascension St. John Hospital, with his mother, according to Dwyer.
Two Warren police officers were also treated at the hospital because they got shocked while pulling the boys off the wire, authorities said. They are doing OK, Dwyer said.
Police believe the brothers were dropped off at the location for school, but the building was closed on Tuesday.
“I think they were just, quite frankly, wandering around, trying to get ahold of their grandmother to come back to pick them up,” Dwyer said.
You can watch Dwyer’s full update in the video below.
