Lorry driver electrocuted after vehicle hit overhead power line

A tipper lorry driver tragically lost his life after part of his vehicle came into contact with an overhead power line, according to details presented at an inquest. Andy Lloyd, 56, who managed a family-run business, was transporting a load of hardcore to a farm accompanied by his 14-year-old son when the grab arm of his truck touched the 11,000-volt cables above.

The hearing at Ruthin Coroner’s Court revealed that Lloyd, from Bod Elian, Llanelian in Conwy, had climbed down from the cab and was electrocuted upon touching a metal step on the vehicle. He was declared dead at the scene at Tan y Dderwen Farm in Betws-yn-Rhos, Conwy, on May 1st, just weeks before his planned wedding.

During the inquest, it was disclosed that Lloyd’s son had joined him in the lorry to gain work experience. Senior coroner John Gittins, representing North Wales East and Central, read from the teenager’s statement, which described how Lloyd had moved the lorry closer to contractors erecting a shed in order to unload the material. At that point, the grab arm made contact with the overhead power lines. Although the son attempted to warn his father, Lloyd had already exited the cab when the electrocution occurred.

Witnesses at the scene, including several contractors, reported seeing flames around the rear tyres and the driver’s boots before Lloyd collapsed. One of the men helped the teenager safely exit the vehicle, another began CPR on Lloyd, and a third called emergency services. The inquest also heard from Devon Locke, an engineer for Scottish Power, who was sent to the area after the electrical supply had tripped. Upon arrival, he noted that the lorry was still touching the live cables. While the power had been cut off, measures were being prepared to secure the line fully. The coroner ultimately ruled Lloyd’s death an accident and extended his sympathy to the bereaved family. Lloyd’s partner, Hayley, shared in her statement that his last moments were spent in the truck beside his son, describing him as someone who “cared quietly but fiercely for those around him.