One of two line technicians electrocuted Monday at a job site in Warwick, New York, has been identified as a married father of two from New Jersey.
Derrick Paris, 51, of West Caldwell, was working as a contractor for E-J Electric, a transmission and distribution company from Wallingford, Connecticut, when he and Justin McLoughlin, 28, of Trenton, Georgia, were killed, authorities said.
The men, who were not electricians, were performing maintenance on a utility pole for Orange & Rockland Utilities when the accident occurred, according Michael Donovan, a company spokesman.
Donovan said the men were working on the ground tightening a guy wire, or anchor cable, connected to the pole when they were hit with 69,000 volts of electricity. A medical examiner pronounced the men dead at the scene. The accident sparked a fire that destroyed the men’s All-Terrain vehicle, Donovan said.
The nearest source of electricity was at the top of the 40-foot pole, Donovan said, adding that investigators have “never seen this” type of accident before.
Donovan said there were no witnesses to the accident, adding that the utility company and Warwick police are investigating.
According to his obituary, Paris grew up in Kearny. Public records show he lived in North Arlington before moving to West Caldwell 15 years ago, where he and his wife owned a home.
Paris was married to Caroline and they had two sons. Services will be held Thursday and Friday in Kearny to be followed by burial in North Arlington, according to the obituary.
Anthony G. Attrino may be reached at tattrino@njadvancemedia.com. Follow him on Twitter @TonyAttrino. Find NJ.com on Facebook.
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