VICTIMS. WE NOW KNOW 59 YEAR OLD DAVID LAPINSKI IS THE MAN WHO WAS ELECTROCUTED IN PITTSBURGH’S SOUTH SIDE SLOPES NEIGHBORHOOD YESTERDAY EVENING. AND HERE IN ROSS TOWNSHIP, POLICE IDENTIFYING THE MAN KILLED AS 67 YEAR OLD RAYMOND GORDON. POLICE SAY HE WAS WORKING OUTSIDE OF HIS HOME WHEN HE WAS HEADING BACK INSIDE ON HIS DECK WHEN HE WAS HIT BY A FALLING TREE. JUST FEEL THE LOSS RIGHT AWAY. PAUL AND LESLEY BODNARCHUK, STUNNED BY THE LOSS OF THEIR NEIGHBOR, LEARNING OF HIS SUDDEN DEATH DURING TUESDAY EVENING’S STORM. IT’S JUST SUCH A SHAME THAT PROBABLY BETWEEN THE SOUND OF THE WIND AND THE RAIN, HE PROBABLY HAD NO SENSE THAT ANYTHING WAS GOING TO HAPPEN. YEAH, RAY WAS A GREAT GUY. HE WAS VERY KIND, VERY NICE, REALLY HELPFUL, SWEET LEFT, WONDERING IF THE SOUND OF THEIR OWN TREES SNAPPING AND FALLING ON THEIR HOME MIGHT HAVE BEEN A DISTRACTION TO THEIR NEIGHBOR. THE STORM UPROOTED TWO TREES THAT FELL ON THEIR ROOF AND PORCH. AND IN PITTSBURGH’S SOUTH SIDE SLOPES, PITTSBURGH POLICE SAID A MAN WAS ELECTROCUTED HERE ON SAINT MARTIN STREET. NEIGHBOR CHRISTOPHER MILLER SAYS POLICE AND FIRE CREWS RESPONDED TO FALLEN LIVE WIRES AND MARKED THE AREA WITH CAUTION TAPE, BUT HAD TO LEAVE FOR OTHER EMERGENCIES WHILE THEY WAITED FOR THE POWER COMPANY TO RESPOND. DURING THAT TIME, MILLER SAID THE MAN ATTEMPTED TO MOVE THE FLAMING LIVE WIRE, BUT THERE WAS LIKE SO MUCH FLAMES COMING OFF THE WIRE WHEN IT WAS DOWN, SO I GUESS HE WAS WORRIED ABOUT HIS TRUCK GETTING DAMAGED OR EVEN CATCHING ON FIRE TRYING TO MOVE THE WIRE AND GOT ELECTROCUTED. HE AND OTHER NEIGHBORS RUSHED OVER TO TRY TO HELP MILLER, TAKING A FIRE EXTINGUISHER, BUT NEIGHBORS, QUICKLY REALIZING THE MAN WAS ALREADY DEAD, THE COP WAS CRYING. I MEAN, BECAUSE HE FELT SO BAD. I MEAN, THERE’S NOTHING YOU CAN DO. PARAMEDICS CAME. NOTHING YOU CAN DO. YOU COULDN’T WALK OVER AND DO ANYTHING. ALL YOU CAN, ALL YOU COULD HEAR WAS THE ELECTRIC. WE’LL KEEP YOU UPDATED AS WE LEARN ANY NEW DETAILS ABOUT BOTH MEN KILLED. REPORTING
Community mourns loss after 2 killed in Allegheny County during Tuesday’s severe storms
Two separate tragedies unfolded during Tuesday evening’s storm in Pittsburgh’s South Side Slopes neighborhood and Ross Township, claiming the lives of two men.The Allegheny County Medical Examiner’s Office said David Lepinsky, 59, was killed after being electrocuted on St. Martin Street in Pittsburgh’s South Side Slopes shortly after 7 p.m.Neighbors on St. Martin Street told Pittsburgh’s Action News 4 on Wednesday that Lepinsky was electrocuted when he attempted to move a fallen live wire away from his truck.Neighbor Christopher Miller witnessed the sequence of events and described the alarming conditions. He said police and fire crews responded to the scene, marked the hazardous area with caution tape, and left to address other emergencies while awaiting the power company.During this period, Lepinsky reportedly attempted to move a flaming live wire near his vehicle. Miller recounted the grim details:“There were so many flames coming off the wire when it was down. So I guess he was worried about his truck being damaged or even catching on fire,” Miller said. “He went over to look at his truck and try to move the wire and got electrocuted.”Despite immediate efforts from neighbors to assist, it was too late. Miller said he used a fire extinguisher in an attempt to help, but the man had already succumbed to electrocution. Another neighbor, Mike Bryan, shared how responders on the scene were deeply affected.“The cop was crying. I mean, because he felt so bad. I mean, there’s nothing you could do. A paramedic came. Nothing you can do. You couldn’t walk over and do anything. All you could hear was the electric,” Bryan said.In a separate incident, 67-year-old Raymond Gordon was tragically killed in Ross Township. Police determined that Gordon had been working outside his home when he attempted to walk back inside on his deck, only to be struck by a falling tree.Neighbors Paul and Leslie Bodnarchuk expressed their shock and grief over the sudden loss:“You feel the loss right away,” Paul told Pittsburgh’s Action News 4.The couple, whose property was also heavily impacted by the storm with two trees falling onto their roof and porch, reflected on the events and Gordon’s character:“It’s just such a shame that probably between the sound of the wind and the rain, he probably had no sense that anything was going to happen,” Paul shared.“Ray was a great guy. He was very kind, very nice,” Leslie said.Gordon’s death serves as a stark reminder of the destructive power of the storm, leaving his community stunned.
ALLEGHENY COUNTY, Pa. —Two separate tragedies unfolded during Tuesday evening’s storm in Pittsburgh’s South Side Slopes neighborhood and Ross Township, claiming the lives of two men.
The Allegheny County Medical Examiner’s Office said David Lepinsky, 59, was killed after being electrocuted on St. Martin Street in Pittsburgh’s South Side Slopes shortly after 7 p.m.
Neighbors on St. Martin Street told Pittsburgh’s Action News 4 on Wednesday that Lepinsky was electrocuted when he attempted to move a fallen live wire away from his truck.
Neighbor Christopher Miller witnessed the sequence of events and described the alarming conditions. He said police and fire crews responded to the scene, marked the hazardous area with caution tape, and left to address other emergencies while awaiting the power company.
During this period, Lepinsky reportedly attempted to move a flaming live wire near his vehicle. Miller recounted the grim details:
“There were so many flames coming off the wire when it was down. So I guess he was worried about his truck being damaged or even catching on fire,” Miller said. “He went over to look at his truck and try to move the wire and got electrocuted.”
Despite immediate efforts from neighbors to assist, it was too late.
Miller said he used a fire extinguisher in an attempt to help, but the man had already succumbed to electrocution. Another neighbor, Mike Bryan, shared how responders on the scene were deeply affected.
“The cop was crying. I mean, because he felt so bad. I mean, there’s nothing you could do. A paramedic came. Nothing you can do. You couldn’t walk over and do anything. All you could hear was the electric,” Bryan said.
In a separate incident, 67-year-old Raymond Gordon was tragically killed in Ross Township.
Police determined that Gordon had been working outside his home when he attempted to walk back inside on his deck, only to be struck by a falling tree.
Neighbors Paul and Leslie Bodnarchuk expressed their shock and grief over the sudden loss:
“You feel the loss right away,” Paul told Pittsburgh’s Action News 4.
The couple, whose property was also heavily impacted by the storm with two trees falling onto their roof and porch, reflected on the events and Gordon’s character:
“It’s just such a shame that probably between the sound of the wind and the rain, he probably had no sense that anything was going to happen,” Paul shared.
“Ray was a great guy. He was very kind, very nice,” Leslie said.
Gordon’s death serves as a stark reminder of the destructive power of the storm, leaving his community stunned.
