Photo by Joe Hart

Photo by Joe Hart

Photo by Joe Hart

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WILDWOOD-- On monday, May 24, at approximately 6:30 p.m., members of the Wildwood police and fire departments responded to 3200 block of Boardwalk, in connection to a reported structure fire. Upon arrival on the scene, it was determined that a painter identified as Tilemahos Mavridis, 62, Middle Township man was operating a scissor style lift when the lift came into contact with high voltage power lines. Mavridis was utilizing the lift to paint the north side of a building located at 3220 Boardwalk, when the lift came into contact with the power lines disrupting service to the immediate area.

The fire department was eventually successful in retrieving Mavridis from the lift platform subsequent to Atlantic City Electric company employees turning off the power feeder to the high voltage lines. A substantial number of city residents and businesses were without power while the rescue was completed, however, power was eventually restored to most city residents. Mavridis was treated and transported to the cardiac unit, of Atlanticare Regional Medical Center, Mainland Division, in Galloway Township. Mavridis suffered chest pains as a result of the incident, medical status is currently unknown.

The immediate area of the incident has been barricaded as the Federal Occupational Safety and Health Administration is expected to respond and conduct a separate investigation. The scissor lift sustained extensive damage as a result of the incident and was welded to concrete boardwalk pedestrian ramp, during the contact with the high voltage power lines.