California Man, 24, Dies from ‘High Voltage Electrocution’ While Hanging Up Christmas Lights

Mar. 15, 2025

Antonio Pascual Mateo.Photo:GoFundMe

GoFundMe

A Southern California man has died from “high voltage electrocution” while hanging up Christmas lights.

“Paramedics arrived on scene to find the decedent hanging upside down from a tree. After recovering the decedent, paramedics initiated advanced cardiovascular life support and transported the decedent to the nearest local hospital,” the medical examiner stated.

Escondido resident Mateo was transported to Palomar Medical Center where, despite “aggressive” life-saving efforts, he was pronounced dead an hour and 20 minutes later.

The official cause of death was concluded to be high voltage electrocution, per the Examiner’s report.

An extension step ladder against side of roof with a strand of Christmas lights.Steven White/iStock/Getty

Steven White/iStock/Getty

Escondido Battalion Chief toldFox 5 San Diegoof the incident that first responders “found a worker suspended in the air via a waist harness, it appeared that he had come in contact with some high-power tension lines.”

According to the page, Mateo “fell” in a tree and was left “trapped for an hour” there after being electrocuted as the rescue team was “forced to wait until the power company had to turn off power.”

The family added that it was unfortunately “too late to save” Mateo.

“He was a brother, a son and an uncle … He had so much to live [for], only 24 years old. He had been working on putting up Christmas lights around the tree. He always took care of his mother and family,” the family shared. “…forever young he will remain. Christmas lights forever have a meaning to us, he will remain in our hearts for eternity.”

source: people.com