Alert-neighboring teen electrocuted

OAKFIELD TWP., Mich. (WOOD) - Chris O'Neill was trying to help his neighbor when he heard a loud pop and saw a bright flash. He thought his neighbor's house was on fire, so he rushed over around 11 p.m. to alert the family of seven.

The electricity was out in the neighborhood in the 12000 block of Wabasis NE. No lights were on. He never saw the downed power line.

O'Neill, a 16-year-old Greenville High School student, died instantly.

"We have five kids and Chris knew all of them," said the neighbor, Sean Dykstra. "He was just trying to help out and didn't see the wire."

A broken pole and downed transformer fell because, according to Consumers Energy, it was old. "It was on the ground, huge arcs of electricity and a small fire at the end of the pole," Dykstra said. "There was a small fire in that little lical bush over there."

Dykstra was on the phone with 911 "and all of a sudden I saw a flash of light out the corner of my eye, and that's when Chris hit the wire."

No one could touch or try to help Chris because of the live wire. Even emergency crews had to wait for the power to be cut. The home did not catch fire, and no one else was injured.

"Thats the hard part," Dykstra said. "It's sad. You know, he was trying to do a good thing and help us out."

Funeral arrangements are pending.