Two electrocuted when auger hits power line on Scott County farm

A father and son were killed Sunday morning when the farming auger they were handling hit an overhead power line, authorities said.

Capt. Scott Haas of the Scott County Sheriff's Office said a 911 call came in at 10:11 a.m. that two men had been electrocuted on their family farm in the 20800 block of Xanadu Avenue in Sand Creek Township.

The men — ages 53 and 25 — were unresponsive when they were found by a family member. The two had been lifting a farming auger when it came in contact with a power line, authorities said.

Rescue workers tried to resuscitate the men, but the 53-year-old was declared dead at the scene.

The 25-year-old was flown to Hennepin County Medical Center in Minneapolis, where he was pronounced dead.

"It is with a heavy heart that I can confirm that this incident took the lives of two of our residents," said Sheriff Luke Hennen.

"Clearly, this is a tragedy for their families as well as the entire community."

Electrical utilities nationwide offer safety tips for working around power lines, whether at a house, apartment or on a farm:

Keep everything at least 10 feet away from power lines, whether it be people, machinery, equipment and objects that extend above your head, such as ladders, scaffolding tools, antennas, satellite dishes, boat masts or other items.

If it looks like power lines will be in your way or if you have concerns about your power lines, call your local utility company.

Call 811 to have underground power lines marked free of charge before any digging job, from construction projects to planting a tree or shrub.