Three People Die of Electrocution from Power Lines

Three people in Northwest Arkansas are dead and three others are in the hospital after being shocked while setting up for a race this weekend. It happened at the University of Arkansas campus in Fayetteville. The injured were workers for a private firm, called Intents, based in Little Rock. The six of them were helping set up for the Chili Pepper Invitational--a cross country race for high school, collge and amateur runners. That`s when disaster struck. Several workers were moving a tent that was already assembled near the Agricultural Research and Extension Center. Bystanders were able to start first aid by receiving instruction from EMS workers on the phone. All six victims were taken to the Washington Regional Medical Center, where three of them died. A North Little Rock electrician explains any voltage over 240, as with power lines, is difficult to recover from. "With the high voltage like that, it constricts your muscles in your arms and your hands, and you won`t be able to let go of the wire or pole that`s touching the electricity," said Dan Chapman, of Chapman Service, Inc. The race is held at the Razorback Cross Country Course on Agri-Park, but is not a university event, and none of the victims are affiliated with the university. Orgnaizers say the race, which attracts about 3,000 runners will still go on Saturday.