A ComEd worker was injured and thousands are without power after a construction accident in a western Chicago suburb.
The accident happened Thursday afternoon at 2:10 p.m. near 16th Street and Hannah in Forest Park when a worker fell from a cherry picker, according to Thomas Aftanas, chief of police in Forest Park.
"Preliminary investigation revealed that a crane was in the process of lifting a metal utility pole onto its base. At some point, the tower fell from the crane, striking live power lines," the Forest Park Police Department said in a release.
The power lines hit the cherry picker that was at least 30 feet off the ground, police said. The worker fell from the basket to the ground, and was taken to Loyola University Medical Center where his condition was not known.
ComEd said the contractor was working on powerlines when the accident happened.
"We are currently working with local authorities to conduct an investigation to understand what occurred," the company said in a statement. "Safety is ComEd’s number one priority and our thoughts are with the worker who was involved in the incident."
Two poles are down in the area and ComEd says more than 2,000 homes are without power.
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It was not clear when the power would be restored.
Check back for details on this developing story.
