Cairo Association of Teachers - Newsletter

CAT Tracks for February 13, 2009 TRAGIC ACCIDENT

By: Heartland News & AP

PADUCAH, Ky. (AP) - A utility worker from Minnesota has died after a 30-foot fall while working in western Kentucky to restore power knocked out by an ice storm last month.

McCracken County Coroner Dan Sims says that 35-year-old Andrew Reichwein of Andover, Minn., was pronounced dead at 8:30 a.m. CST Thursday of a closed head injury.

A pole snapped and Reichwein and another worker fell to the ground Wednesday. A 300-pound transformer landed on him. The other worker fell but was not seriously injured.

McCracken County Sheriff Jon Hayden says Reichwein had just arrived early Wednesday morning to help Jackson Purchase Energy crews restore electric.

Reichwein is survived by his wife Deena and his four-year-old daughter Alexis.

Jackson Purchase Electric Cooperative established a memorial fund for the Reichwein's daughter. Donations can be made at any Paducah Bank location or may be mailed to Paducah Bank, attention Alexis Tuscany Reichwein Memorial Fund, 555 Jefferson Street, Paducah, KY 42001.

The other worker with JPEC returned to work Thursday on light duty.

The number of power outages peaked at about 769,000 at the height of the storm, which blew into Kentucky Jan. 27, dropping snow and ice across the state.