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4 Firefighters Injured, 1 Critically, While Helping Students With ALS Ice Bucket Challenge

Last updated on Friday, August 22, 2014

(CAMPBELLSVILLE, KY) - The four Campbellsville firefighters who were shocked while helping the Campbellsville University marching band with an ALS Ice Bucket Challenge were identified by the city’s police chief during a late afternoon news conference on Thursday.

41-year-old Captain Tony Grider, a 16-year veteran of the department, and part-time firefighter 22-year-old Simon A. Quinn were occupying the bucket portion of the aerial ladder truck being used for the university's public affairs event when they crossed the "electric energy threshold" of an overhead power line, said Campbellsville Police Chief Tim Hazlette. That caused an "electric arc" to strike both firefighters.

"From talking with power company technicians, if you get within a distance of three or four feet, the energy that surrounds the high-voltage wire will actually arc over onto another object," Hazlette said, "in this case being the personnel occupying the bucket."

37-year-old Captain Steve Marrs, an 11-year veteran of the department, and three-year veteran 28-year-old Alex Johnson assumed control of the apparatus in an attempt to lower it to the ground, Hazlette said. Marrs and Johnson suffered electrical shocks from currents traveling down the extended ladder.

Grider and Quinn were removed from the aerial bucket and transported to Taylor Regional Hospital and later transferred to University of Louisville Hospital's burn unit.

Johnson and Marrs were transported to Taylor Regional Hospital. Marrs was treated and released. Johnson was admitted for observation.

The accident remains under investigation by the Campbellsville Police Department. Investigators from the Kentucky Fire Commission and the U.S. Department of Occupational Health and Safety Administration are on the scene along with representatives from Kentucky Utilities Company.

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