Abstract: At approximately 10:39 a.m. on May 4, 2005, two employees of a chimney service company were installing a metal liner into the flue of a chimney, from the top of the chimney. Employee #1 was sitting astride the chimney, pushing the liner into the flue, while Employee #2 was assisting from a ladder. Employee #1 sent Employee #2 to see if the liner was all the way down the chimney. While installing the metal liner, Employee #1 may have contacted a 7,600-volt power line that was 4 feet, 2 inches from the side of the chimney. After apparently contacting the power line, Employee #1 fell from the chimney to the ground, a distance of 26 feet, 5 inches. As Employee #1 fell, he hit and pulled down the electrical service line that was attached to the house. When Employee #1 struck the ground, a third employee from a home improvement company rushed to his side. The third employee told Employee #1 to remain still as he summoned emergency medical services and called his employer to shut off power. Employee #1 remained on the ground in a state of semiconsciousness, until the ambulance arrived. Upon arrival, the paramedics responded to Employee #1 and decided that the ladder leaning against the chimney needed to be moved so that they would have better access to Employee #1. A lieutenant from the Baltimore County Fire Department and Employee #2 grabbed the ladder to move it. As they leaned the ladder away from the house, it struck a 13-kilovolt power line that was directly above them. After a few seconds of contact with the power line, Employee #1 and the lieutenant fell to the ground, along with the ladder. The paramedics who were caring for Employee #1 responded to Employee #2 and the lieutenant, who were in cardiac arrest. Employees #1 and #2 were hospitalized.