The Kentucky Public Service Commission has released details into its investigation of the Ice Bucket Challenge mishap this summer that left a Campbellsville fire dead.
The Public Service Commission concluded that Kentucky Utilities’ power lines were in compliance with code. The incident happened August 21 after the filming of a video with the Campbellsville University marching band.
“While Commission Staff acknowledges the tragic loss of life in this incident, the Commission’s authority is limited to determining whether the jurisdictional utility (here, KU) violated any of the aforementioned statutes...Commission Staff’s review of KU’s seven day summary report found no indications of compliance issues or probable violations related to any of the aforementioned statutes…” the report read.
The investigation says the aerial ladder basket was raised after the filming was complete and two firefighters in the basket came too close to power lines overhead. Forty-one-year-old Captain Tony Grider eventually died from his injuries. Simon Quinn, 22, was also hospitalized but survived.
In an incident report given to investigators, Campbellsville University’s campus safety and security director, Kyle Davis writes that the location where the challenge happened was changed because of concerns over flooding from the fire hose, but the new location was deemed safe by the firefighters.
Davis also writes that a request to have a student film the challenge from the aerial basket was denied because of safety concerns.
