‘Don’t touch me, go away! I’m dying,’ – Andrew Pasek in flood water carrying electrical current.
Andrew Pasek died in floodwaters because he was electrocuted. The water became live and rescue teams were unable to get him out and save his life. It is presumed that he died of drowning. His body has been recovered.
He was trying to rescue his sister’s cat, which happens to be a purebred Maine Coon, whose name is D’Artagnon. His sister, Alyssa, 27, had tried to get her cat to come downstairs when she left the flooded home. D’Artagnon refused to come. She describes her cat as not being that nice which I think is unhelpful but she was probably annoyed that he would not come with her. Not sure why she couldn’t have done something to get him but this was a difficult moment no doubt. Alyssa did not have a cat carrier so she left him upstairs with food and water.
Andrew wanted to check up on D’Atagnon because he loved animals, liked to help and was in the area. His sister agreed. He said it would be okay and she said, ‘please be safe’. He told her that he loved her and those were the last words he said to her.
Unbeknownst to Andrew, the electricity to his sister’s home and surrounding homes had not been turned off when there had been a controlled release of water from Addicks Reservoir which left the house flooded with 5 feet of water. Note: I find this strange because if houses are going to be flooded the authorities have to shut down electrical power because water conducts electricity and becomes ‘live’ just like a cable or wire.
Andrew had metal in his ankle due to surgery from after an injury in 2011 when a car ran over it. When in the water his foot touched a live wire. The metal in his ankle became live. He was knocked off his feet. Andrew’s friend was behind him. Andrew shouted to him not to touch him because he was carrying electricity within his body. His friend called 911 and then his mother who called Andrew’s mother.
As Andrew was in live water rescue workers could not get to him. As mentioned, it is thought that he drowned and burned. He was in the water for an hour and a half before the power was turned off so that rescue workers could retrieve his body.
People are asking why the electricity was not turned off. It does seem to be a serious oversight which costs this good young man his life. Andrew’s friend is severely traumatised by the experience, “he started hyperventilating. I had to put a cold rag around his neck and take him outside” said Andrew’s mother.
His mother describes him as a helper. She says that he wanted to help and it breaks her heart that she has lost him. There is no report as yet about D’Artagnon. I hope he is okay.
P.S. Andrew was an Eagle Scout who worked as an estimator for AsTech. He helped animals. For example he rescued stray animals and took them to the veterinarian. It is clear that he was a nice, helpful guy. A terrible tragedy.
P.P.S. A legal point: the authorities could be found legally negligent for not turning off the power because it would be foreseeable that someone would be hurt (if the story is accurate). However, my guess is that they would have warned people to leave their homes and not return.
Source: People.com
Really a sad and scary story. I did not know that metal in our bodies could react to live wires. So tragic. Andrew was an angel to try to help his sister’s cat. And scary. (How many of us have metal in our bodies? I have stainless steel screws in my previously broken foot.)
I think he would have been killed even if he did not have the metal in his body but that metal would have made things worse it seems. All the water was live. There could be a follow up story because the authorities were negligent in my view.
We used lock out /tag out in a plant I worked in to safeguard against this very type of incident. Before going in any flooded water or home the power should be shut off at the pole. In a disaster of this scope utility companies and rescue efforts are stretched to the limits and beyond.
http://www.popularmechanics.com/adventure/outdoors/tips/a8231/4-rules-for-electrical-safety-after-a-flood-14261065/
YES, VERY FEW PEOPLE HELP, ANYTHING BUT THEMSELVES….. WHERE S ANDYS—METAL OF HONOR ????? —-
Thanks for sharing your thoughts.
I have a friend who does emergency training I’m going to mention having people turn off their own electric if possible when leaving home during an evacuation. Even if you didn’t evac if you had water in your home you should disable electric if possible. If you had time you could also easily turn off your natural gas.
Her cat should have had a carrier.
How sad! It seems that the caring ones suffer the most. Don’t be too hard on Andrew’s sister as panic can set in during an emergency, and the electrical box is usually in the back of the house–in the opposite direction of escape. From sad experience I know that cats hide and are fearful during an emergency. BTW, my youngest son lives near Addicks reservoir in Houston, but fortunately was not flooded because the dam held on the south side.
Just what I was thinking…it’s the caring people who die trying. But what I was thinking about the sister is…. how is it that a cat owner doesn’t own a carrier??!
Yes, bizarre. I sense a less than good relationship between cat and person there.
Yes, I think you’re right. Especially if someone can’t handle female Maine Coon’s sometime claim to royal status. 😉 I love MC’s!! And, MC mixes.