California man electrocuted while hanging Christmas lights; officials urge holiday safety

Public officials are renewing their annual calls for holiday electrical and fire safety as a Southern California family mourns a 24-year-old man who was electrocuted while hanging Christmas lights at his family’s home.

The holiday tragedy took place on the morning of Nov. 21 in an Escondido neighborhood, where Antonio Pascual was on the roof of the house putting up holiday decorations, according to San Diego County Medical Examiner’s officials. The home sat near a high-voltage power line.

“The decedent threw the lights over the powerline resulting in electrocution,” the agency said in a written statement. “Paramedics arrived on scene to find the decedent hanging upside down from a tree.”

First responders freed Pascual from the tree and rushed him to a hospital, where he was soon pronounced dead, officials said.

Investigators determined through an autopsy that Pascual died from electrocution, records show. The death was ruled accidental.

Donate to Help family with funeral costs after electrocution tragedy, organized by Juan Pascual

San Diego Gas & Electric officials, along with representatives of other utilities, urge residents to never touch or go near power lines and keep a distance of at least 10 feet.

If power lines are in the way of tree trimming or other necessary work, residents are advised to call their local power company first for assistance.

Electrical issues are responsible for most holiday-related fires

Firefighters responded to an average of 155 home fires ignited by Christmas trees each year between 2018 and 2022, as well as another 835 residential structure fires sparked by decorations other than Christmas trees, according to the National Fire Protection Association.

“These fires caused an annual average of 3 civilian fire deaths, 30 civilian fire injuries and $14 million in direct property damage” according to a NFPA statement.

Electrical lighting or distribution equipment was involved in 41% of the Christmas tree fires.

Another 20% of the Christmas tree fires were blamed on lamps or bulbs, while 11% were ignited by candles, officials said.

Roughly 46% of total decoration-related fires were started by candles in December, compared with about 32% for the other 11 months of the year, NFPA officials said. Candles should never be placed within 12 inches of anything flammable and should always be placed in stable candle holders.

While Thanksgiving is the peak day for cooking fires in the U.S., it’s immediately followed by Christmas Day and Christmas Eve.

Mitigating fire hazard from Christmas trees

Fire officials offered several Christmas tree safety tips to help prevent celebration from turning into tragedy.

Christmas trees should be watered daily, as dry trees can burn extremely quickly and hot, according to the U.S. Fire Administration.

Christmas trees should be kept at least three feet away from any heat sources, including heaters, radiators and fireplaces, and should not block exits. Trees should be placed in a sturdy base to prevent tipping.

Manufacturers instructions should always be followed on Christmas lights and other electrical devices, the agency said.

Those using artificial trees should make sure they are specified as fire resistant, Los Angeles County Fire Department officials added.

The department also recommends checking holiday lights before setting them up each year and getting rid of any that have frayed wires, bare spots, insulation gaps, cracked sockets or excessive kinking or wear.

The older and drier Christmas trees get, the greater the fire hazard they present, according to the NFPA. For that reason, it’s best to dispose of trees promptly after the holiday, or once they become dry.

NFPA officials said 36% of Christmas tree fires generally occur in January.

This article originally appeared on Victorville Daily Press: California man electrocuted while hanging Christmas lights at home

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