‘Outlandish’ mishap sees car stall directly atop fallen power lines on Florida street

A simple stalled car turned into a life-or-death situation for one Florida driver who discovered his vehicle stopped on top of downed power lines.

It happened at 7:49 p.m. Friday, July 15, on SW 60th Avenue in Ocala — about 80 miles northwest of Orlando — and a photo shows at least six power lines were under the car. All were still live, too, Ocala Fire Rescue reported.

“What would you do if you found yourself caught inside a vehicle that turned off after moving over downed power lines?” the rescue agency asked in a Facebook post.

“Would you attempt to re-start and drive over the remaining obstacle? Would you get out of the vehicle to take a look under the hood? Or, would you remain inside and call 9-1-1? Outlandish as it may seem these were the options a driver was faced with.”

The “precarious situation” was discovered when two fire engines were sent to investigate reports a storm had downed power lines. Firefighters eventually found one car blocking travel lanes and realized it was “parked over power lines, with the driver inside.”

“Crews immediately contacted the electric company,” the department said.

“He (the driver) remained in the vehicle for 30 to 40 minutes while SECO Energy workers confirmed that the power lines were de-energized and grounded.”

The driver, who was not identified, was not injured. Rescuers say he made the right choice by not trying to get out.

“If you find yourself in a vehicle in contact with power lines while you are inside, it is critical that you stay in the car and call 9-1-1,” Ocala Fire Rescue said.

“Energized power lines can carry enough current to cause serious to lethal injuries. When finding a downed power line, it is always best to assume it is energized, report it, and remain a minimum of 10 feet away.”

This story was originally published July 18, 2022 at 7:43 AM with the headline "‘Outlandish’ mishap sees car stall directly atop fallen power lines on Florida street."