A 20-year-old man yesterday evening was electrocuted and fell to his death after he climbed a seven-story-high electricity tower to photograph the sunset, causing a wildfire on Datong Mountain (大同山) in New Taipei City’s Shulin District (樹林), the Taoyuan Police Department said today.
The man, surnamed Hsieh (謝), was accompanied on an evening walk by a 20-year-old woman surnamed Shang (尚) who remained on the ground and witnessed the incident, capturing a final photograph of her friend sitting atop the tower before his death, an initial investigation showed.
Shang then sought higher ground to call for help, police said.
Photo courtesy of a member of the public
The New Taipei City Fire Department said it received a report of the fire at 6:33pm.
The man was already deceased when emergency services arrived on the scene, they said.
Rescue personnel from Taiwan Power Co joined the effort, cutting the electricity supply to enable the rescue attempt.
Hsieh's body remained intact except for clear lacerations from the electrocution, they added.
Taoyuan police said they plan to determine the exact cause of death this afternoon at the Taoyuan coroners’ office.
The case has been handed to the forensic department, who have cordoned off the scene, they added.
It is believed that Hsieh’s body was still burning as he hit the ground, setting the surrounding silver grass ablaze until Taoyuan and New Taipei City firefighters contained the wildfire at about 8:30pm, they said.
The Shulin Precinct said that officers from Taoyuan’s Guishan Police Station, who have jurisdiction, joined them at the scene at about 9pm.
Additional reporting by CNA
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