On Wednesday, January 17, an incident in Northeast Portland, Oregon claimed the lives of three people and injured a nine-month-old baby. 

The tragedy occurred on Northeast Siskiyou Street near 122nd Avenue when a live powerline, brought down by a fallen tree branch, struck their vehicle.

The Portland Fire & Rescue Department, responding to initial reports of a possible car fire around 11:45 am, encountered a drastically different scene. Initial reports indicated a person on fire in the street and a downed powerline, but upon arrival, firefighters found no flames. Instead, they discovered a full-size SUV with a powerline and a large tree branch across its hood. Nearby, two adults from the SUV and a teenager who had run to help them were found approximately 35 feet away from the vehicle. They were pronounced dead at the scene following a medical assessment.

Ronald Briggs, a Portland resident, experienced an immense loss with the deaths of his pregnant 21-year-old daughter, Tajaliyah, and 15-year-old son, Ta’Ron, who were electrocuted. Tajaliyah and her boyfriend Nash, who was also killed, the father of the nine-month-old, exited their SUV upon its collision with the downed powerline. Ta’Ron came out of the house to assist them. The child, who was in the vehicle at the time of the incident, survived and was later taken to the hospital for evaluation and found to be in stable condition.

According to officials, the victims had exited the SUV after a tree branch brought the live powerline down upon their vehicle. Their contact with the ground while touching the car created an active electrical circuit, leading to their electrocution. Ronald Briggs and his wife, who were nearby, witnessed the incident. “We heard a loud boom. And my wife’s like, ‘Oh my god, their car is on fire,'” Briggs recounted.

Majiah Washington, an 18-year-old neighbor, demonstrated remarkable courage by rescuing the baby from the perilous scene. Her action ensured the safety of the young child. 

This tragedy is among several incidents resulting from the severe winter weather in the Portland metro area. In the past week, at least 10 people have died due to various incidents related to the harsh weather. These include suspected hypothermia deaths in Multnomah and Washington Counties, a fatality from a fallen tree in Southeast Portland, and the death of an elderly man in Lake Oswego due to a tree collapsing onto a house.

Fire officials, in the wake of these incidents, emphasize the importance of caution around downed powerlines. They advise that occupants should stay inside their vehicles if a powerline falls on it, as the car’s tires can provide insulation from the electric current.