# Worker killed after cable breaks on Harrison County cell tower



## Black Dog (Oct 16, 2011)

http://www.wkyt.com/home/headlines/...cell-phone-tower-265589521.html?device=tablet


CYNTHIANA, Ky. (WKYT) - A man working on a Harrison County cell phone tower was killed Wednesday afternoon after a cable broke, decapitating him and leaving his body suspended from the tower on Waits Road.

Harrison County Sheriff Bruce Hampton tells WKYT that the man was part of a four-person crew from out of state working on the Verizon tower off Kentucky 36 in Harrison County. The sheriff says all of the workers are in their 20s and working for an independent company contracted out by Verizon.

Two of the men were working atop the tower and the other two on the ground when the accident happened.

"Not too many people are used to seeing that. And it's a guy that you've been working next to," said Harrison County Sheriff Bruce Hampton. "And it could have been him. Nobody else was injured. And they are just very much beside themselves."

Sheriff Hampton says the men were taking down an old boom and bringing up a new one when a cable broke, decapitating one worker and ripping off his right arm.

"It got within two feet of where it was going and something broke and then the 1,800lb. boom fell," said Sheriff Hampton.

The worker's body was left suspended 240 feet in the air, and crews were left trying to determine how to get the man down. Crews with Northern Kentucky Technical Rescue finally removed the body around 10 p.m.

The victim has not yet been identified. His body has been sent to Frankfort for an autopsy.

Verizon Wireless sent a statement to WKYT about the incident, saying, "Our thoughts are with the family and colleagues of those impacted by today's incident near Cynthiana, Kentucky. We are working closely with our vendor and first responders on the scene as we continue to gather additional information."


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## 360max (Jun 10, 2011)

...thoughts and prayers for his soul, family and friends, sad day.


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## Black Dog (Oct 16, 2011)

360max said:


> ...thoughts and prayers for his soul, family and friends, sad day.


How can a cable break like that?:no:


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## Legacyelectric (Sep 9, 2012)

Somebody did something wrong. I remember watching a short film at navy bout camp about wire rope failure. Deadly stuff.


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## backstay (Feb 3, 2011)

Legacyelectric said:


> Somebody did something wrong. I remember watching a short film at navy bout camp about wire rope failure. Deadly stuff.


That's why all rigging is supposed to have a safety level of 5 times.


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## CyberKnight (Sep 3, 2013)

While I was in the Army they taught us to stay back twice the length of the wire rope we had out. Under tension when it breaks it will whip all over and tear up anything in its path. We were flipping over a flipped tank with two retriever vehicles with 1.5 inch wire rope on each and one snapped. Sounded like a bomb going off and the backlash on the winches was a total mess. No one was hurt on that mess though. I always remember that one when using wire pope.


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## 8V71 (Dec 23, 2011)

In 1982 something similar happened but the falling antenna took out a guy wire on the way down and collapsed the brand new 1900' tower. Three guys were riding the antenna up and another two workers were on the tower. 

The camera was dropped but you can see some of the guy wires falling in the reflection from a water puddle.


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## NacBooster29 (Oct 25, 2010)

That's really horrible. I feel awful for his family and friends.


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## wcord (Jan 23, 2011)

Can't imagine the horror his fellow workers went thru. Such a terrible way to die.
Condolences to his family and friends.


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## Black Dog (Oct 16, 2011)

8V71 said:


> In 1982 something similar happened but the falling antenna took out a guy wire on the way down and collapsed the brand new 1900' tower. Three guys were riding the antenna up and another two workers were on the tower.
> 
> The camera was dropped but you can see some of the guy wires falling in the reflection from a water puddle.
> 
> http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=I5pkXq3zMf0


Holy smokes....


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## dmxtothemax (Jun 15, 2010)

Black Dog said:


> http://www.wkyt.com/home/headlines/...cell-phone-tower-265589521.html?device=tablet
> 
> 
> decapitating one worker
> ...


Do we really need Quincy to work out why he died ?

I bet I know !

I smell a lawsuit.


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## Semi-Ret Electrician (Nov 10, 2011)

I just finished providing power to four ceell towers.

The out of state 6 man erection crew were awesome. No large construction crew would ever do or take the chances they did.

Not only that- they would work all day, drink all night and do it again the next morning.


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## don_resqcapt19 (Jul 18, 2010)

Semi-Ret Electrician said:


> ... No large construction crew would ever do or take the chances they did. ...


And you say that like it is a good thing????


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## blueheels2 (Apr 22, 2009)

The company I work for has a tower division. No way in hell I will ever do that work.


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## Charles_Las Vegas (Apr 6, 2014)

blueheels2 said:


> The company I work for has a tower division. No way in hell I will ever do that work.



I work for a tower company and as an electrician I stay on the ground and most likely in the shelter.
No way am I ever on a tower !


Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk


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## FrunkSlammer (Aug 31, 2013)

I'm a poosay for heights.. ain't got time foh dat! 

Glad there are real men and women who put their lives on the line to get the job done. RIP to this guy, condolences to the friends and family.


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## LGLS (Nov 10, 2007)

dmxtothemax said:


> Do we really need Quincy to work out why he died ?
> 
> I bet I know !
> 
> I smell a lawsuit.


That's what I was thinking... an autopsy? Really?


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## micromind (Aug 11, 2007)

IslandGuy said:


> That's what I was thinking... an autopsy? Really?


Most likely looking for drugs/alcohol.


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## FrunkSlammer (Aug 31, 2013)

Autotopsy to find things to void the guys insurance policy, probably.


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## Semi-Ret Electrician (Nov 10, 2011)

don_resqcapt19 said:


> And you say that like it is a good thing????


The supt. on those towers was pulling an excavator with his $50K PU and ran the entire rig off a 30 ft cliff.

Put him in the hospital and everything in a junk yard.

I heard one can perform about 300 unsafe acts before a serious accident. He said he had already erected 52 cell towers.


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