John P. Lill, 37, contractor rescued John J. Wernig, 29, truck driver, from electric shock, Schodack, New York, October 10, 1967. Light rain was falling at a construction site when Wernig, standing alongside his truck and holding the control box and cable of the vehicle’s loading boom, prepared to unload supplies. When the boom rose to beneath two power lines, electricity arced from one line to the boom and thence to Wernig, who fell to the muddy ground still holding the control box. The electricity continued to arc as Lill ran to Wernig, took hold of him, and received an electrical charge which propelled him about 10 feet. Lill then ran to the cab of the truck, thinking to release the brakes and let the vehicle coast away from beneath the wires. When he touched the door handle he was thrown about six feet by the shock. He returned to Wernig. Using a piece of wet plywood, Lill pulled the cable and control box from under Wernig, feeling only a slight shock. Wernig was hospitalized for severe burns, as a result of which one hand had to be amputated. He recovered.
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