3 killed, 2-year-old child injured as power line falls on car during Oregon ice storm

PORTLAND, OREGON: In a tragic incident that unfolded in Northeast Portland, Oregon, three people lost their lives when a power line fell onto a parked car during a severe ice storm that wreaked havoc across the Pacific Northwest.

The incident, which occurred on Wednesday, January 17, also left a baby injured.

Dispatchers reportedly began receiving urgent calls shortly before noon about a downed power line and reports of electrocution.

According to a statement from the city's fire department, a branch had fallen onto a power line, causing it to collapse onto an SUV.

A two-year-old child reportedly emerged as the sole survivor of this heartbreaking incident.

Ice storms, which occur when freezing rain leads to dangerous ice accumulations, can cause significant damage.

The rain freezes upon contact with cold surfaces like roads, adding weight to trees and power lines and increasing the likelihood of them breaking, particularly in strong winds.

Oregon ice storm tragedy

In the midst of the chaos, a local resident bravely rescued the baby from one of the individuals lying on the street, in an attempt to save the child's life, as per the statement.

Tragically, three people - two adults and a teenager - were found dead when the firefighters arrived on the scene, and the baby was immediately rushed to a hospital.

It is suspected that the victims were electrocuted after exiting the vehicle, as mentioned in the statement.

The power line was later de-energized by the power company, although the statement did not specify which company was involved.

The icy conditions in Portland made both driving and walking virtually impossible.

Roads and sidewalks were coated with a slick layer of ice, icicles hung from roofs and cars, and a glass-like layer of ice encased branches, plants, and leaves.

Videos showcasing the chaos amid the storm, with roads and trees covered in ice and trees crashing down, have been making rounds on the internet.

Region braces for more ice as storm continues

On Wednesday, a large portion of the region was under alert for up to an inch of ice, exacerbating the damage caused by a lethal and potent storm that struck over the weekend.

As the day progressed, the warning area was downsized to parts of southwest Washington and northwest Oregon, including Portland, and was further confined to the western edge of the Columbia River Gorge in the afternoon.

The National Weather Service has forecasted the return of freezing rain to the region from Thursday evening through Friday morning.

The eastern Portland metro area and the western Columbia River Gorge are expected to be the most affected areas.

In light of the hazardous conditions, Portland transportation officials have urged the public to avoid using the roads until Thursday morning.

Numerous school districts have also canceled classes for a third consecutive day due to the slick road conditions.

The storm on Wednesday reportedly resulted in three more fatalities, adding to the at least seven deaths associated with fallen trees and suspected hypothermia during the previous weekend's storm, as cited by TRIB LIVE.

Daniel Buck, a resident of Northeast Portland who lives in close proximity to the site of the fatalities, recounted his experience to The Associated Press.

He reported hearing an explosion, followed by the sight of an individual fleeing from a car that had a flaming, downed power line on top of it.

Upon approaching the scene, he discovered that individual and two others lying on the ground approximately 35 feet from the car, where the remainder of the power line had collapsed.

He also noted that one of the victims' pant legs was ablaze.

In Oregon, a 47-mile stretch of Interstate 84, a major east-west highway, was reportedly shut down due to the risk of ice.