Department of Public Safety spokeswoman Lei Ogumoro said the 33-year-old victim was Mel Hal B. Ogarto Taitano.
Ogumoro said DPS central received a call for assistance regarding the incident on Chalan Kanoa Drive and Dolores Street in Chalan Kanoa at about 12:15 noon on Dec. 26.
Upon arrival, police observed black smoke coming from the top of the breadfruit tree.
Preliminary investigation disclosed that the victim climbed a breadfruit tree and used a six-foot metal pipe to gather breadfruit but the metal pipe came into contact with a power line that ran through the breadfruit tree within the fenced residence.
Ogumoro said a witness who was on the ground climbed the tree to help bring the victim down.
But responding police officers quickly barred the witness from attempting to bring the victim down as both he and the victim faced the risk of falling from the tree.
Police summoned medics and the Commonwealth Utilities Corp. to the scene.
“The victim was only taken from the tree by the fire division rescue units after a CUC lineman disabled the power line,” Ogumoro said.
The victim was brought to the Commonwealth Health Center were he was pronounced dead upon arrival at 1:08 p.m.
Recovered from the scene was the six-foot metal pipe with metal hooks on one end. Ogumoro said the pipe bore black burnt marks on it.
