Warren Boy Badly Hurt After Swinging On Live Wire, Brother Shocked Trying To Help: Police

WARREN, MI — An 8-year-old boy was in critical condition with severe burns after he was electrocuted when trying to swing on a downed power line Tuesday morning in Warren, Warren Police Commissioner Bill Dwyer said.

The boy's 10-year-old brother was also shocked when he tried pulling him off the 4,800-volt live wire just as two nearby Warren officers responded "within seconds," to pull the child off, Dwyer said.

"They immediately exited their vehicle, immediately pulled the 8-year-old off the live wire, and also the 10-year-old brother," Dwyer said. "They immediately jumped into their vehicles with the victims, took them down to St. John main hospital."

The 10-year-old was taken to a nearby hospital with minor injuries and seems to be OK, Dwyer said. Both officers also checked into a nearby hospital and were released.

"It was the 10-year-old, along with the two officers, that were all three, quite frankly, trying to save the life of the 8-year-old," Dwyer said.

Police believe the boys were dropped off near McKinley Elementary School, near Toepfer and Sharrow roads, even though school was closed Tuesday morning following Monday's storms.

Dwyer said he believes the boys were just wandering around trying to figure out how to get a hold their grandmother to come pick them up when they saw the downed wire dangling about four feet off the ground.

The news comes after a 14-year-old girl died Monday night in Monroe after she accidentally grabbed a downed power line that she thought was a stick.