FORT WORTH, Texas (WSVN) — Two young brothers were killed after being electrocuted by a downed power line as they played in a Texas park.
Police in Fort Worth say the two boys, 12-year-old Alex Lopez and his 11-year-old brother, Isaiah, died after running across the wire in a wooded area of a Fort Worth park.
The boys’ uncle, Fort Worth Police officer Jorge Lopez, told Fox 4 that the Isaiah died trying to save his older brother, who was walking with a friend when he came in contact with the wire.
“Somehow, Alex made contact with the downed wire, and it was live and started to be electrocuted,” he explained. “The boy ran to get Isaiah to run and get help and Isaiah said, ‘No, I’m going to go help my brother.’ And next thing you know, he’s involved in it too.”
Oncor, the local power company, said the downed line was most likely due to a recent storm. The utility said they find out about downed power lines because of power outages, first responders, or when someone reports it.
After the storm, the Fort Worth Parks Department confirmed that crews checked playgrounds and public areas at over 200 city parks, including the Oakland Lake Park where the boys died. But they did not check the wooded, undeveloped area where the boys were killed, Fox 4 reports.
“There was no need to move into that area there because that a very remote area of the park,” said Fort Worth Parks Director Richard Zavala.
Lopez said the family is grieving the loss of the brothers, and struggling to come to terms with their deaths.
“As a family, we’re still in shock. It’s still not real to most of us,” he said. “It’s not real to me yet, trying to hold things together and be strong for everybody.”
Copyright 2024 Sunbeam Television Corp. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.