One Houston polling place was shut down after a man was electrocuted outside the site on Tuesday.
The name of the person killed was not released, but officials said the worker was employed by the city’s Parks and Recreation Department, according to Fox News.
The worker who died was in the basket of a cherry picker, according to KTRK-TV.
Houston fire officials said the worker died about 11:30 a.m.
According to KTRK, the cherry picker was seen extended near a flood light pole by the Melrose Park Community Center, where voting was taking place.
A worker was electrocuted and died. https://t.co/CUl492ueK5
— Nick Natario (@NickABC13) November 9, 2022
The presumed cause of death is electrocution, according to the report.
The incident led to a power outage, which meant voting at the site could not continue, according to KHOU-TV.
The Harris County Elections Office has confirmed that the Melrose Park voting location has been temporarily closed after a City of Houston Parks and Recreation employee was electrocuted nearby. https://t.co/iGgZuiDcCk
— KHOU 11 News Houston (@KHOU) November 8, 2022
Mayor Sylvester Turner issued a statement about the incident.
“This morning, a city of Houston employee was killed as a result of a tragic work-related incident at Melrose Park, 401 Canino Rd, in Northeast Houston,” the mayor said, according to KRIV-TV.
“The Houston Fire Department responded to the scene before noon. The Medical Examiner has been notified,” he said, adding, “My prayers are with the employee’s family and co-workers, and I ask all Houstonians to keep them in your prayers.”
A representative of CenterPoint Energy said “the individual was working on customer-owned equipment that is not owned or maintained by CenterPoint Energy to install lighting at the park,” according to the Houston Chronicle.
UPDATE: Harris County Elections has been forced to close the polling location at Melrose Park Community Center due to issues outside of our control. Voters in the area should vote at Hardy Street Senior Citizens Center (11901 West Hardy Rd.). #HarrisVotes pic.twitter.com/is3BtG0Ay4
— Harris County Elections (@HarrisVotes) November 8, 2022
Power was restored to the Melrose Park Community Center shortly after 2 p.m., the Chronicle reported.
Later in the day, Harris County District Judge Dawn Rogers signed an order extending voting in the county by one hour – until 8 p.m., according to the Chronicle.
The Texas Organizing Project sued to get the extension, citing delays in opening several polling locations that it said “forced countless voters to leave polling places without being able to vote.”
