Last week brought another reminder that the painting trade can be dangerous, especially if you’re working near electricity. Two contract painters working for C&A Painting in San Jose, Calif., had a scary encounter at 11 a.m. Friday when one of them came into contact with a high-voltage power line with his helmet.

UPDATE: @PGE4Me working to ground high-tension lines. Rescue operations will commence afterwards. #SJFD pic.twitter.com/NIBEF7F3dQ

— San José Fire Dept. (@SJFD) February 23, 2024

The men were in a bucket lift 40 feet in the air doing touch-up work on balconies at the Crescent Village apartment complex when the accident happened. The painter whose helmet touched the power line was knocked unconscious and suffered burns on the upper half of his body. After the electrocution, both men were stranded for three and a half hours while firefighters stood by helplessly until the power could be turned off. The scary situation caused electric outages and street closures near the intersection of Zanker Rd. and Vilaggio St. At 2:45 p.m., Pacific Gas and Electric (PG&E) cut off power to the area and firefighters were able to use their lift truck to reach the painters and extract them from the dangerous situation.

UPDATE: Both individuals rescued successfully and transported to Valley Medical Center.

Thank you to @PGE4Me and @SJPD_PIO for their roles in the rescue. pic.twitter.com/Y2aIkDge1J

— San José Fire Dept. (@SJFD) February 23, 2024

By then, the painter whose helmet triggered the electrocution had regained consciousness and was able to climb down an extended fire truck ladder to reach safety. Both men were transported to the Santa Clara Valley Medical Center for treatment and are expected to recover. PG&E advises work crews to stay at least 30 feet away from high-voltage power lines and wasn’t immediately sure how the accident happened. The San Jose Fire Department said that PG&E wasn’t culpable for the incident.

The California Division of Occupational Health Safety and Health (OSHA) is investigating, since the incident involved a workplace injury.