Thousands of homes and businesses in Northern Virginia were without power Tuesday afternoon after a mobile power lift went into high-tension electrical lines in Woodbridge, trapping and injuring two workers, one of whom has died.
About 1:30 p.m., Dominion Energy said they had to shut down transmission line so first responders could assist the workers, who weren’t affiliated with Dominion.
Prince William County Fire and Rescue spokesman Matt Smolsky said the two victims were trapped on the lift in the 16000 block of Porters Inn Drive, near the Shorehaven apartments.
Smolsky added at about 5:15 p.m. that the workers — a man and a woman — were freed. One worker was freed and appeared to walk off under his own power; the other was put in a stretcher and taken to the hospital.
One of the workers died, according to Sgt. Jonathan Perok, spokesman for the Prince William County Police Department.
About 40,000 people were without power in Prince William County at one point. Power has mostly been restored, Smolsky said.
Prince William County’s school system said a number of schools in the eastern part of the county were affected.
Police also said traffic lights on Jefferson Davis Highway and near Tacketts Mill Road are knocked out.
