As winter weather continues to wreak havoc in the United States, an Oregon family is mourning the deaths of loved ones lost in a tragic accident. Two adults and a teenager died in Portland on Wednesday after a power line fell on their car. It appears the passengers in the car were frightened and got out of the vehicle. Sadly, they were electrocuted when their feet touched the ground.
A good Samaritan saw what happened and swooped in to save a 2-year-old child who miraculously survived the freak accident, according to KGW. Emergency responders are using the tragedy to remind people of power line safety to prevent these types of accidents.
More from CafeMom: Mom Who Lost Her Mom, Husband, & 2 Kids in Tornadoes Says Her Surviving Son Is Her 'Rock'
Several witnesses called 911 about the downed power lines.
Dispatchers received several calls Wednesday regarding fallen power lines and a person on fire near Northeast 122 and Northeast Siskiyou in the Russel neighborhood of Portland, per KPTV. When crews arrived about 11:45 a.m., they found the bodies of two adults and a teenager about 35 feet from the car. All three were reportedly dead from electrocution, KPTV reported.
A neighbor thought she heard a gunshot.
Majiah Washington told KGW she heard a loud noise that sounded like a gunshot. She saw a bolt of lightning and knew that she had to help. She reportedly saw a toddler in an adult's arms.
"In my mind, I'm just thinking 'I have to get this baby.' That's the only thing I was thinking: 'I have to get this baby," she said.
The child, whose name was not released, was taken to an area hospital.
Washington realized a power line was involved with what happened to the man. "He slipped, and he fell — his shoe touched the wire, caught a little bit of fire on his foot and was smoking after that. He was the first to go — he had the baby in his hand still," Washington said, according to KGW.
The family was shocked.
The father of two victims, Ronald Briggs, told KGW he and his wife were getting into their car when they heard a loud boom.
"The next we know we heard a loud boom. And my wife's like, 'Oh my god, their car is on fire.' "They jumped up — they was walking up toward the house. They were walking up the hill and they slid back down and my daughter tried her boyfriend, her baby's daddy with the baby — and her foot touched the wire," Briggs told the station.
Brigg's 21-year-old daughter, who was pregnant, died in the accident. His 15-year-old son, identified as Ta-Ron Briggs, also died. The third victim was a man known as Nash.
Briggs is devastated.
The father told KGW he couldn't believe what happened to his family. He is living a nightmare.
"It just hurt. Seeing my kids dying — can't do nothing about it," he said, adding that he lost two of his six children in one day.
His son was a sophomore at Milwaukie High School. The school reportedly sent an email to families regarding the horrific accident and said it would have counselors on duty for students.
More from CafeMom: Parents of 5 Celebrating Mom's Birthday Killed After Tree Crushes Car in Freak Accident
Officials warned that fallen power lines can be very dangerous.
Rick Graves of Portland Fire and Rescue told KOIN that if a power line strikes a vehicle, it is essential that the occupants stay inside.
"If it is indeed a live wire that's going to cause you issue, we can get the power company started, they can de-energize the lines. As long as you're in your vehicle and you have that rubber from the tires connected to the ground, you're grounded, you're safe," he added.
Graves said this particular accident is heartbreaking. "We are human. It certainly has an effect on the crews," he said, according to KOIN. "I wasn't even involved in the call to the incident, I was just here and saw the aftermath. It has an effect."
The incident is still under investigation.
