North Texas

Brothers Electrocuted by Downed Power Lines in Fort Worth: Fire Department

Two brothers, ages 11 and 12-years-old, were electrocuted by downed power lines in Fort Worth Wednesday after strong winds tore through the area, fire officials said.

Family members have identified the boys as Alex and Isaiah Lopez.

The Fort Worth Fire Department was called to the 1500 block of Oakland Place at the Oakland Lake Park just after 6 p.m.

Firefighters said the children were in a heavily wooded area of the park when they encountered the live power lines on the ground. A third child who was with them was able to go call for help.

A grass fire was also ignited by the lines, and fire crews were able to extinguish the flames before they spread.

Oncor crews were not at the scene at the time the fire department first arrived, but the fire department issued an emergency request. The power company arrived soon after to help make the scene safe for fire crews to access.

Strong winds are likely the cause of the downed power lines. Thunderstorms that moved through North Texas early Wednesday caused widespread power outages in several communities, most notably across Tarrant County.

As of 8:30 p.m. there were still more than 26,000 Oncor customers affected by outages in Tarrant County.

"We can't talk about enough the need for safety around downed power lines. We're just starting the storm season and this is something we'll continue to deal with," said Fort Worth fire spokesman Lt. Kyle Falkner.

In a statement released Wednesday evening, Oncor said:

"A tragic accident has occurred. Oncor is currently working with authorities to determine the cause. The safety of our customers and employees is the foundation for everything we do. Our thoughts and heartfelt prayers go out to the family. We urge all our customers to treat every power line as if it’s energized."

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