Daily Progress, Jacksonville, TX

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July 28, 2010

JFD fireman shocked at incident site

Nathan Straus Jacksonville Daily Progress

JACKSONVILLE — Jacksonville Fire Department Lt. David Glidewell received a medium strength electrical shock at a house fire on the 900 block of Fort Worth at around 7:30 p.m. Tuesday.

Fire Marshall Dennis Tate said Glidewell was treated and released from ETMC-Jacksonville Tuesday evening and should be back to work Thursday.

Tate estimated the strength of the shock at about 120 Volts.

Fire Chief Paul White said  some of the area emergency personnel have taken to calling him “Sparky” after the incident.

“The paramedics from East Texas Medical Center started calling him Sparky,” White said.

Tate said the home had a fire in an electrical box in a garage just outside of a brick wall.

“It got a little water in it,” Tate said.

He said responding firefighters, Glidewell included, began cutting into the wall with saws to get to the fire, but he said Glidewell accidentally cut into a conduit with power still flowing through it.

“It just got him,” Tate said. “Probably about a medium shock; it shocked him pretty good. He didn’t lose consciousness, it just let him know he got into some electricity.”

Glidewell was knocked onto his back and was sprawled out on the ground after being shocked, White said.

He added Glidewell reported a tingling feeling in his digits.

White said it is standard practice to turn any meters or electrical boxes off before cutting, but noted this meter had become charged so fire fighters could not touch it.

“I suspect lightning struck it or the meter shorted out,” White said.

He said the firefighters followed procedure as safely as they were able.

“We have a lot of protection, but when you’re standing in water and everything’s wet, there’s not much you can do,” he said. “This was unique because we couldn’t pull the meter. It was charged.”

Tate said the fire itself resulted in a lot of smoke, but added the fire was in the walls and remained mostly hidden from view.

White said the fire didn’t result in high damage.

Glidewell could not be reached for comment at press time.

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