By:Jerry Burke
According to Fifth Precinct detectives, 34-year-old Hicksville resident Santos Garcia was killed instantly, and 33-year-old Jos Alvarenga was flown to Nassau University Medical Center in East Meadow after the scaffolding they were working on came in contact with the home's main power line at 11:55 a.m. last Sunday.
Police said the two men were knocked to the ground by the resulting explosion, which also sparked a small fire in the power line's wiring. While the investigation is continuing, police believe that one of the men may have either hoisted a piece of the scaffolding directly into the line or raised the platform on which they were standing into contact with it.
Rescue vehicles from the Elmont Fire Department reached the home quickly and extinguished the fire. Garcia was declared dead at the scene, but Alvarenga was kept alive as a helicopter arrived to airlift him.
Garcia was described by police as a handyman who had immigrated to the U.S. from El Salvador 16 years ago, and who may have family on Long Island.
Alvarenga's name was released too late Monday for his relatives to be reached for comment. Shelley Lotenberg, director of public relations for the NUMC, said that he was still in the hospital's intensive care unit, in critical but stable condition, as of Monday night.
According to a spokesperson for the Long Island Power Authority, contractors usually call the company to request that it turn off the power lines when work is being done in the area around them. There is no evidence that such a request was made in this case.
According to federal regulations, scaffolding should be erected at least 10 feet away from high-power lines. Police at the scene said the structure appeared to be much closer.
The owners of the home were not available for comment Monday, but told WABC-TV News Sunday night that they were distraught that "someone's lost their life" outside their home. The owner also said he had no idea how the accident happened.
Witnesses described the scene as "horrible," telling police that the explosion and resulting flames were accompanied by a crackling sound. Power and telephone lines in the immediate area were out for about 10 minutes.
Police said the home had had extensive work done to it over the past few months, including the addition of a second floor. Police have not yet released the name of the construction company in charge of those renovations.
Comments about this story? JBurke@liherald.com or (516) 569-4000 ext. 234.
