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A 59-year-old woman was electrocuted on Tuesday night after a fallen tree branch appeared to have downed an arcing power line onto the roof of car she was in, according to the Hawaii Police Department.
A 58-year-old man who was also in the car was able to escape with minor injuries.
It happened at 8:41 p.m. Tuesday at Oopu Street and Kahakai Boulevard in the Hawaiian Shores subdivision of Pahoa, according to police.
The couple was sitting inside of the parked car on Oopu Street when the branch fell on the power lines, which fell onto the roof of the car and surrounding foliage nearby.
Police said the power lines continued to arc on the roof of the car, and that the man reported he was able to climb out of the rear, where the tailgate window had been removed. The woman attempted to exit through the rear as well, police said, but fell onto a galvanized gate behind the car and was electrocuted.
The woman was found on the ground behind the car when the first responding firefighters arrived a few minutes later, with arcing power lines still nearby.
Police said she was transported to Hilo Medical Center, where she was pronounced dead. The man was treated at the scene for minor injuries.
The Hawaii County Fire Department said the fire was extinguished at about 9 p.m. after Hawaiian Electric cleared the hazard.
Hawaii island police are investigating the case, which has been classified as a public accident. The victim’s identity is being withheld pending notification of next of kin.
Anyone who witnessed the accident should contact Lt. Rio Amon-Wilkins at 808-961-2252 or rio.amon-wilkins@Hawaiicounty.gov.
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