Man killed in boom lift on Fifth Avenue was painting building at construction site, neighbor says

The man who was found dead in a boom lift near Fifth Avenue and Arthur Street is said to have been painting a building at a construction site when he died on March 6, according to a neighbor who interacted with the man.

First responders were called to the scene of a “possible electrocution with entanglement” that evening, according to a Spokane Fire Department report. Paramedics attempted to resuscitate the victim for about an hour, Spokane Fire Chief Brian Schaeffer said.

Spokane police said the call came in at about 6 p.m.

The identity of the man has not been released. Avista Utilities said it was not one of their employees.

The man had parked his truck on the side of Fifth Avenue and was using the boom lift to go over a chainlink fence of a construction site and underneath electrical wires, according to Linda Jefferson, who has lived at a house next door for the past 10 years. The man was using a light as he painted the white trim of the apartment building after sunset, she said.

One of the workers at the construction site began to yell at the man, she said. First responders showed up shortly after, she said.

The man’s family also arrived on scene, the Spokane Fire Department reported.

The Spokane Police Department is investigating the incident.