Many people want to know who caused the tragic electrocution of a dog in Pittsburgh this Sunday. The pet owner’s family says the fatal incident happened during a routine walk. The dog unsuspectedly stepped on a metal plate located on the Murray Avenue Bridge, leading to the animal’s demise.
KDKA-TV reported that Joe Jacobs, a co-owner of King Electric, concluded that the metal plate touched exposed wiring underneath. He stressed the risks, especially if the grounding doesn’t meet the set standards.
“If the grounding is not up to code and you have those exposed wires, they are going to connect and find their way to a source,” he said. “If the box is metal, unfortunately, it’s going to energize that metal, it would energize us or an animal.”
The incident report says that when the fire department arrived, both the man and his dog had left the scene. Despite this, fire officials went on to test the metal cover for electrical current, and it tested positive. The pet parent also received an electric shock in his attempts to rescue the animal. “They probably felt a residual shock,” said Jacobs. Continuing, he explained, “Unfortunately with dogs, they don’t have rubber sole shoes to protect them. That’s exactly what happened.” The question now is — who bears the responsibility for this unfortunate incident?
Public outcry rises amid similar cases across the country
Incidents like these have occurred elsewhere in the country, with the power provider being liable. KDKA-TV contacted Duquesne Light for their stance. A company representative responded, “We were very saddened to learn of the incident in Squirrel Hill on Sunday involving a beloved pet and its owner.”
They mentioned that upon gaining knowledge of the situation, they promptly backed the City of Pittsburgh and its electrical contractors in responding to the situation. The spokesperson further confirmed that currently, they did not have any knowledge of any Duquesne Light-owned facilities directly connected to the incident. “We’re continuing to work with the relevant parties to understand the cause,” they stated.
We learned that the city owns the infrastructure. Consequently, KDKA-TV asked the city about its role in maintaining infrastructure. The news channel also sought their response to allegations that the tragedy could have been avoided.
The City of Pittsburgh released a statement, affirming its commitment to the safety of its residents and their pets. According to their statement, after the incident in Squirrel Hill, they investigated their equipment. The president of Sargent Electric was also contacted. They stated that their job was to troubleshoot and disconnect the circuit.
With support from Duquesne Light, they resolved the issue and are now determining the cause. “The equipment supplying power to the streetlights is not energized, and, at this time, there is no further risk to the public,” they said. “We send our heartfelt condolences to all those impacted by this tragedy.”
