Local

Written by: Press Release Posted by David Elliott
Release date: 13.08.2024

On August 13, at approximately 8:15 a.m., emergency personnel were dispatched to Great Bend Municipal Airport after receiving calls to 911 about an electrical shock in the area.

According to a press release from Barton County Sheriff Brian Bellendir, a roofing company was working on the main hangar near the terminal building. When rescue crews arrived, they discovered two victims. Investigation revealed that the two men were in a basket on a boom when they came in contact with high voltage power lines. One of the men managed to get to the roof and reach the ground. The second victim was still in the basket on the boom and was unresponsive. At 8:48 a.m., power was shut off and rescue crews were able to reach the second victim. Both victims were taken to Great Bend Regional Hospital.

The first victim, 24-year-old Allistar Jose Sanchez of Wichita, suffered severe burns in the incident. He was later airlifted to a Wichita-area hospital. The second victim, 16-year-old Ivan Joel Mollins, also of Wichita, was later pronounced dead at the hospital.

Because the accident occurred on city property and involved a city building, Great Bend Police requested that the Barton County Sheriff’s Office take over the investigation.

The Barton County Sheriff’s Office was assisted on scene by the Great Bend Police Department, Great Bend Fire Department and EMS, and Midwest Energy.

(Information and photo courtesy of Barton County Sheriff’s Office.)