May 3—Seattle Fire Department Technical Rescue Team recovered a body of an adult male from a 152-foot-tall high tension wire platform in Fremont.

The original 911 call came into the Fire Alarm Center at 12:31 a.m. reporting a possible transformer fire at 3rd Avenue NW and NW 36th Street. The first arriving engine company spoke to Seattle Police Officers. Officers interviewed a witness who saw a man climb the tower and fall, causing a large spark from the power line.

The 200-foot-tall tower carried 120,000 volt power lines at the top. Also 26,000 volt power lines ran 50 feet off the ground which prevent the firefighters from raising their aerial ladders.

Seattle City Light determined that if an individual made it onto the tower, he could have accidentally caused electrical current to travel into the metal structure. For the safety of the firefighters, the Snohomish County Sheriff’s Office sent their helicopter to survey the platform. The bird’s eye view for the chopper revealed a unresponsive body on the platform and two objects which turned out to be a baseball cap and a cell phone.

Under the direction of Seattle City Light, utility employees and four Tech Rescue Firefighters climbed the tower and recovered the body from the platform. Around 7 a.m., the body was lowered by stokes basket to the ground below.

The King County Medical Examiner took possession of the body. Examiners will determine the cause of death, and the identity of the male.

The Seattle Police Department is investigating how and why the man climbed the tower.