A man was electrocuted while climbing a PG&E tower, fell about 80 feet to the ground and ignited a small grass fire in Santa Rosa on Tuesday afternoon, according to the Santa Rosa Fire Department.
About 1:45 p.m., fire crews responded to reports of a grass fire near the Prince Memorial Greenway-Santa Rosa Creek, fire officials said. When they arrived, they found a man lying on the ground near a PG&E transmission tower.
Bystanders had pulled the man away from the burning grass and used fire extinguishers to stop the flames, fire officials said.
Witnesses said the man was about 80 feet up the approximately 100-foot tower when he was electrocuted and fell, fire officials said. He suffered significant burns and trauma, was treated at the scene and then transported to a local trauma center, fire officials said. He was later airlifted to UC Davis Medical Center for further care.
The fire burned a grassy area about 20 feet in diameter, fire officials said.
About 2,200 people were temporarily affected by a short power outage.
Santa Rosa police were investigating the incident.
