LOGAN, Utah -- Video posted on social media Wednesday captured a dramatic rescue after a transformer blew up and caught a truck on fire while an employee remained trapped in the bucket high above the ground.
Capt. Tyson Budge with Logan Police Department said the fire broke out around 2:30 p.m. near 100 West and Center Street as a lineman with Logan City Power was moving power lines from an old pole to a new one, and a transformer exploded.
The fire spread to the new power pole, and oil from the transformer dripped down and caught the lineman's truck on fire, making it impossible for him to operate his bucket.
Crews brought in a second bucket so another employee could pull the first lineman to safety. That moment was caught on video by Twitter user Elise Egbert.
Mark Montgomery, Director of Light and Power for Logan City, said the lineman suffered burns on the back of his neck and went to a hospital to be checked out. He said they spend a lot of time training on rescue procedures, which he said paid off in this case.
The fire was extinguished, but it did disable traffic lights in the area and a few nearby homes were temporarily evacuated. The traffic lights have since been restored and residents are back in their homes, Budge said. Power remains out in a handful of nearby businesses and homes, but Montgomery said they hope to have the power restored by Wednesday evening.
A later video appears to show the damaged bucket on the first truck collapsing. Montgomery said the truck is a total loss.
Fox 13 News has reached out to authorities for more information, and we will update this story as more details emerge.
