TAZEWELL, Tenn. — A 23-year-old contractor who was severely shocked Thursday afternoon while working near Walters State Community College is alert and recovering in the hospital, according to authorities.
According to a release from the Tazewell Police Department, first responders were sent to the intersection of Gray Street and Claiborne Street, directly behind the college, after receiving reports about an "electrocution incident." It said the man was still attached to the pole and was hanging upside down when they arrived.
The Powell Valley Electric Company disconnected service from the line so the worker could be rescued. According to the release, the worker was a contractor with Logan Communications and was part of a crew pulling fiber optic cabling. It said while he worked, he came into contact with a high-voltage line on the power pole.
Another crew member ran for help while another person called 911, according to the Tazewell Police Department.
The man, identified by a close friend as Nathan Lambert, was taken to a hospital, where he was later taken by a LIFESTAR helicopter to the University of Tennessee Medical Center in Knoxville for additional treatment. TPD said the extent of his injuries was not known Thursday evening.
On Friday, Lambert's friend said he was alert and recovering after the life-threatening ordeal. They said he was on a ventilator initially and had a minister praying over him.