OROVILLE, CA – A training exercise at Northwest Lineman College in Oroville turned tragic on Monday, as an accident resulted in the death of one of its students. The victim was doing a pole-climbing exercise when the pole collapsed, causing him to fall and subsequently leading to his demise.
The event has left a profound impact on the community and school members. “We are all devastated by the loss of a young man who was doing everything in his power to learn a challenging skill and make a valuable contribution to our community. It’s an immensely sorrowful situation,” stated Oroville’s Mayor, David Pittman.
While the college has released only limited details about the incident, it has affirmed that it is cooperating fully with law enforcement during the ongoing investigation.
Mayor Pittman went on to emphasize the inherent perils of the lineman industry. Although surprised that a fatal accident could occur even in a training scenario, he expressed his deepest condolences to the victim’s family and fellow students. He lamented, “We just wish that something like this didn’t happen.”
It has not been confirmed if the college canceled classes following the incident. Still, it is known that the students are just shy of their graduation ceremony.