early potatoes

The worker had been on a potato harvesting machine during the incident

A farmworker was electrocuted when a potato harvesting machine cut a 6,300 volt overhead power line.

Mirror Online reports that the 24-year-old Pole was one of four people working on the back of the large vehicle being towed by a tractor across a field near Falmouth, Cornwall.

Witnesses saw sparks and smoke as the power caused the machine’s rubber tyres to catch fire.

Konrad Miskiewicz was killed by falling off the vehicle or by stepping clear, Mirror Online reports that an inquest in Truro, Cornwall, heard.

The coroner heard he may have lived if he had stayed where he was - the three other labourers survived the incident.

The victim probably died instantly from the massive shock in July 2011, the inquest heard.

Health and Safety Executive (HSE) electrical engineer Ray Davies said the power would have been restored after about ten seconds to check if the line was really broken and the victim may have touched the broken cable when the power came back on.

The tractor drivers working on the land said they were warned about the power lines before they started work.

The inquest jury returned an accidental death conclusion and the HSE investigation continues.

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