January 18th 2024.
Tragedy struck in Northeast Portland on Wednesday morning as a power line fell on top of an SUV, killing three people and injuring a young baby. The incident occurred when a tree branch pulled down the power line, causing it to land on the vehicle. According to Portland Fire and Rescue spokesman Rick Graves, the accident happened shortly before noon.
Among the victims were two adults and a teenager who were electrocuted to death as they tried to escape the SUV. Fire crews arrived at the scene and discovered the bodies of the three individuals about 35 feet away from the vehicle, as reported by KPTV. It was a devastating sight for the first responders.
Family members of the deceased believe that their loved ones were driving on an icy street when they slid into the power line. Ronald Briggs, who lost his 21-year-old daughter, 15-year-old son, and his daughter's boyfriend, shared that they were on their way to the store when the incident occurred. Fortunately, a neighbor named Majiah Washington was able to rescue a 9-month-old baby from the arms of his father.
Briggs expressed his gratitude for Washington's heroic act, saying, "His dad saved his life – he laid on top of his dad." Washington, on the other hand, shared her experience, "In my mind, I was just thinking 'I have to get this baby.' That was the only thing on my mind." The baby was immediately taken to the hospital and was found to be in good condition.
According to Briggs, he and his wife were about to leave for the store when they heard a loud boom. "My wife was like, 'Oh my god, their car is on fire,'" he recalled. After the power line fell on the SUV, his family members inside panicked and tried to get out onto the icy ground. Tragically, their attempts to escape led to their deaths.
Briggs shared the heartbreaking details, "They were walking up the hill and they slid back down. My daughter tried to grab her boyfriend, who is the father of the baby, but his foot touched the wire." He also recounted how his 15-year-old son tried to help but ended up touching the wire himself, resulting in his death.
The teenager, identified as Ta-Ron Briggs, was a sophomore at Milwaukie High School, and the mother of the baby was six months pregnant. "It just hurts," Briggs said, "seeing my kids dying – I can't do anything about it." The tragic incident has left the family devastated.
Neighbors in the area were the first to call 911 to report a person on fire and a power line down. As of Friday, at least 10 people have died due to dangerous winter weather in the Portland metro area. Just a month before this incident, a four-month-old baby boy was miraculously found alive on a tree after a tornado swept him out of his family's mobile home in Clarksville, Tennessee. Despite the tragedy, the baby in this incident survived electrocution, giving hope in the midst of a heartbreaking situation.
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