A power line fell on a parked car in northeast Portland, Oregon, on Wednesday, killing three people and injuring a baby during an ice storm that turned roads and mountain highways treacherous in the Pacific Northwest. Shortly before noon, dispatchers started receiving frantic calls about a downed power line and people appearing to be electrocuted, according to a statement from the city's fire department. A branch had fallen on a power line, causing it to fall onto an SUV, the statement said, per the AP. The SUV was pinned down by the fallen branch, officials said.
As the chaotic situation unfolded, a resident grabbed the baby from one of the people lying in the street in a bid to save its life, according to the statement. The three killed—two adults and one teenager—were found dead upon firefighters' arrival, and the baby was taken to a hospital. Officials believe the car's occupants were frightened and tried to get out, but when their feet touched the ground while they were still in contact with the vehicle, it "completed the circuit" and electrocuted them, the Oregonian reports.
Around Portland, driving and even walking were virtually impossible Wednesday as slick ice coated roads and sidewalks. Icicles dangled from roofs and cars, and ice encased branches, plants, and leaves like thick glass. The three deaths on Wednesday added to at least seven deaths linked to fallen trees and suspected hypothermia during the previous weekend's storm. Schools and government buildings closed as authorities warned of icy roads and the chance of new power outages, even as crews struggled to restore electricity to thousands blacked out for days. (More Oregon stories.)
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