The Associated Press
SAN BERNARDINO, Calif. — A downed power line electrocuted a man outside his Southern California home on Friday and then killed his wife and son as they each attempted rescue in the family’s backyard, authorities said.
San Bernardino firefighters arrived to find three bodies in contact with an arcing 12,000-volt electrical line in the backyard, but it was too dangerous to free them, fire spokesman Jason Serrano said. A utility company finally cut the power and coroner’s officials were called.
The firefighters had been called to the scene at 5:45 a.m. by a 17-year-old girl who said her parents and brother had been electrocuted and were lying in the backyard, Serrano said.
“It’s absolutely a tragic story,” Serrano said.
Serrano said it was unclear why the line fell. However, strong winds were sweeping through parts of Southern California on Friday and the National Weather Service said some gusts could reach 50 mph in the area.
Southern California Edison representatives said the utility was still investigating.
The fallen line set small grass fires in the front and back yards, which were out by the time firefighters arrived, Serrano said.
The victims were identified as Steven Vego, 43; his wife, Sharon, 42, and their son, 21-year-old Jonathan Cole, according to Cindy Bachman, a spokeswoman with the San Bernardino County Sheriff’s Department.
Tried to douse fire
The father heard a “pop,” went outside and was trying to douse the backyard fire when he touched the power line, which he may not have noticed, Serrano said.
“The mother went out to assist him and she, too, became a victim,” he added.
Their 21-year-old was electrocuted when he tried to pull his parents free.
“Fortunately, the 17-year-old did not run out and do the same thing,” Serrano said.
She and her 10-year-old brother were inside the home and were not harmed, authorities said.
“Evidently he didn’t see the line that was down, and he stepped on it, and the tragedy just escalated from there,” Steven Vego’s brother, Frank Vego, told reporters that apparently didn’t see that the line was “Family members trying to help him, and it just dominoed-effect and I lost three people.”
He claimed it was the second time power lines had fallen and set fires at the house.
“This time it killed my brother’s family and him,” Vego said. “I’d like to know why those wires fell and killed my family.”
Company will investigate
Vincent Haydel, a Southern California Edison spokesman, said a relative told him that a power line went down in the neighborhood several years ago but he had no details and the company will have to investigate.
Neighbor Rose Armas said she heard an explosion and saw a flash of light, went into her backyard and saw the grass on fire next door. Firefighters told her to stay inside, but she later went out to stand up trash cans that were knocked over by the wind.
“My daughter looked over (at the other backyard) and said, ‘My God, mom, there’s bodies back there,’” Armas said.
Armas also looked, and saw that they were lying face-down, she said.
Armas said the community below foothills of the San Bernardino Mountains frequently gets gusty winds this time of year. She said the neighborhood lost power two or three weeks ago.
Mrs. Vego was a nurse at a convalescent home and her son wanted to be a paramedic, said Kendra Sagastume, a family friend.
Steven Vego was a plumber, neighbor Gene Allender told the Riverside Press-Enterprise.
“Great people. Nice people,” he said.
About 150 people were without power until the investigation into the deaths was completed, Southern California Edison spokesman Steve Conroy said.
He urged people to avoid touching any downed power line.
“Always assume that they’re live, always assume that they’re hot. Never go close,” he said.
San Bernardino is about 65 miles east of downtown Los Angeles.