Worker electrocuted while doing maintenance on utility pole in upstate New York

BERNE, N.Y. (AP) — A man working on a utility pole was electrocuted early Friday when low-hanging wires made contact with the basket of his truck, according to police.

The cable company worker was doing routine maintenance in rural Berne, about 15 miles (24 kilometers) west of Albany, at around 2:30 a.m. when the wires touched the basket of the Spectrum truck, electrocuting the man and causing the truck to explode and catch fire, Albany County Sheriff Craig Apple told the Times-Union of Albany.

The unidentified 56-year-old man, who was working alone, was pronounced dead at the scene.

A spokesperson for Charter Communications, Spectrum’s parent company, said it was “a devastating loss.”

“This was a tragic accident with an employee who had been with us for more than 25 years,” spokesperson Lara Pritchard said in an email. “Our deepest condolences go out to his family, friends and coworkers who worked with him every day.”

Workers will often perform equipment maintenance and upgrades overnight to prevent service interruptions during high-usage hours.