Upstate lineman okay after tree falls on truck with him in it

(WSPA) – A line worker for Broad River Electric Cooperative is okay after a tree reportedly fell on the truck he was in.

According to Broad River Electric the incident happened Friday morning while crews were out working to restore power in the wake of Tropical Storm Helene.

The company said the worker was driving one of their trucks when the tree fell on top of it on the drivers side. Photos of the truck show the hood of the truck was crumpled by the impact, and the front windshield cracked as well.

“Thankfully, he was not injured, but it was a very close call and a reminder of how dangerous linemen’s jobs can be during times like this,” said Clary Phillips, vice president of members services for Broad River Electric, in an email. “We have the most dedicated linemen in the business, and we are fortunate that we have close to 100 additional men from crews from multiple states assisting us with recovery efforts.”

According to an update posted on the company’s social media, crews have managed to restore power to thousands of users since Friday, and are working to get more online.

The company said those areas still without power are likely due to broken poles, which take time to repair; downed power lines or issues with transmission systems. As of Sunday, 8 of the 14 substations Broad River Electric uses to supply power to its systems are without service.

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