Hudson Valley Worker Killed After Crane Hit Power Lines

A tragic accident unfolded late Monday morning, as officials say a man was electrocuted while working on the job in the upper Hudson Valley. According to WNYT, a 36-year-old man died after a crane he was working near struck power lines.

Man Dies in Work-Related Accident in Greene County

The Catskill Police Department told WNYT that a private contractor was pulling out tree stumps on private property Monday, when the crane he was working near inadvertently hit power lines. An investigation says that the man "came in contact with the hook of the crane and was electrocuted".

Police say the worker's name was Branden Luciano of Germantown. Luciano was working on the ground when the crane accidently struck the lines, says Catskill Police.

Police say the driver of the vehicle was able to get out and was not injured. However, the contact the crane made with the power lines was enough to set the vehicle's tires on fire, according to WNYT.

Deaths On the Job in New York State

According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, there were a total of 247 fatal occupational injuries in New York state in 2021. The Bureau says there were 5,190 total fatal injuries, including all sectors, according to 2021 numbers across the country.

A July 2023 article in Forbes Advisor lists logging as the most dangerous job in the U.S., with a fatal injury rate or 82 per 100,000 full-time workers. Construction trade workers and electrical power-line installers and repairers were ranked 9th and 10th, respectively.