Florence Mayor Mickey Haddock addresses media on the accidental death of a utility worker
FLORENCE – Mayor Mickey Haddock and Florence Electricity Department Manager, Richard Morrisey were in a somber state of mind as they entered the conference room. They were there to give a brief statement on the accidental death of 39-year-old Christopher Williamson. Williamson was killed in an accident Thursday night as he was trying to repair a power line to a home on Arlington Boulevard in Hickory Hills. The home was without power due to the strong storms that rolled through the area in the afternoon and early evening. Other utilities workers and a tree trimming company were at the scene when the accident happened. Evidently Williamson was electrocuted when a tree branch fell on the high voltage line. He was rushed to ECM Hospital, where he was later pronounced dead. Haddock was in a somber mood as he told reporters that the victim was married and the father of three children. “I went to church with him. He was one of the finest people I knew. He was a good husband and loved his children. This is going to be really tough on a lot of people,” he said. Haddock was visibly moved. The media conference was kept short. Haddock spoke from a brief written statement. Here is the text of the statement: Employee: Christopher Lane Williamson Age: 39 Employed by the Florence Electricity Department since 1993 • Started as a Summer Intern • Worked as a Tree Trimmer • Served an Apprenticeship to be Journeyman Lineman • Topped out in November 2008 as a Journeyman Lineman Accident: The accident occurred at approximately 7:30 p.m. Employee contacted a 7200 volt line located behind Arlington Boulevard. Event: A tree fell during the storm on June 5, 2014, on Arlington Boulevard and knocked down a 7200 volt line. • Employee was dispatched to the site • Isolated the damaged line from the main feeder • Tree crew dispatched to clear tree debris • Employee contacted energized line while preparing to complete repairs to the line that was damaged due to tree falling. This is a Google Map of where the accident took place:
Google Map showing Arlington and Shenandoah
These are some photos of the site where the accident took place”
A photo of Chris Williamson from his facebook page:
Christopher Williamson
