Teen Dies After Electrocution and 60-Foot Fall at Fruit Heights Power Pole
A 16-year-old boy died after being electrocuted and falling about 60 feet from a Rocky Mountain Power transmission pole in Fruit Heights, Utah, on Monday, Nov. 10.
According to the Davis County Sheriff’s Office (DCSO), the incident occurred at approximately 9:19 p.m. local time. The teen had been at the site with friends to watch the sunset and, authorities say, "spontaneously decided to climb" the pole. Responding deputies found the boy with "severe burns consistent with electrocution" as well as "traumatic injuries from the fall," DCSO spokeswoman Stephanie Dinsmore told reporters.
He was transported by Farmington Fire to a nearby hospital, where he later died of his injuries, Dinsmore said. Deputies say the teen’s friends on scene called 911 and provided information about the circumstances surrounding the climb.
"It sounds like it was a group of individuals, a group of teenagers, who came out last night to take in the views, when one of the individuals climbed the tower," Dinsmore said.
Authorities have not released the victim’s name.
Location Has a Previous Tragedy
The pole where the boy climbed has a tragic history: 15-year-old Scott Nye was electrocuted at the same location on Oct. 12, 2007, and a memorial was placed there after his death. Valerie Nye, Scott’s mother, issued a statement expressing sympathy: "Our hearts go out to this boy’s family and to his friends who were with him. Please know of our love, understanding and concern. It truly was an accident, and it’s heartbreaking."
Utility Response and Investigation
A Rocky Mountain Power spokesperson told ABC4 Utah there was "a large warning sign near the power pole," though the company could not confirm whether the sign was still in place at the time of the incident. The utility noted that its crews manage thousands of miles of transmission and distribution lines and that it is cooperating with the Davis County Sheriff’s Office in the ongoing investigation.
PEOPLE and local outlets KSL News Utah and Fox 13 Salt Lake City reported on the case; PEOPLE said it reached out to the DCSO and Rocky Mountain Power for comment.
Safety note: Transmission poles and towers are dangerous. Warning signs and barriers indicate high-voltage hazards that can cause severe burns, electrocution and fatal falls. Authorities urge the public, especially youth, to avoid climbing utility structures.
