Ezra David Edley Boyd

A Fullerton, Calif. man was killed almost instantly, a Long Beach man was burned to death and a Buena Park man severely shocked Wednesday morning, February 24 when a dump truck broke a 16,000-volt power line in the Montebello hills, according to a clipping sent to the Record from one of its readers in California.

Killed by the fallen wire despite efforts to drag his body away from its lethal charge, was Ezra D. Boyd, 50, of 309 Magnolia Avenue, Fullerton. Fatally burned was Albert H. Condren, 26, of Long Beach and severely shocked was Bernard J. Brennan, 29, of Buena Park.

The clipping stated that the tragedy took place just 200 years off San Gragriel Blvd., Lincoln and Rosemead Blvds. in Montebello. Ironically, the accident occurred just a few minutes before Southern California Edison Co. linemen were to switch off the power from the line and take it down.

All of the dead and injured men were members of an oil-drilling crew scheduled to start drilling operations at the site as soon as the power line was removed. Witnesses said the "hot" wire snapped when it was struck by the raised bed of a dump truck driven by Albert L. Poore, 28, of Fullerton. It dropped across a mobile drill rig used for preliminary drilling on which Condren was working. As the wire fell across the metal rig, it immediately charged the metal and the shock knocked Condren down on a metal fender where he became a human torch.

Boyd was working near a supply truck some 30 feet away from the rig and was knocked down when the whipping wire fell across the truck's metal body. When he fell, his body sprawled across the wire.

Mr. Boyd was well known in this county. He was born and reared at Drakes Creek, moving to California 10 or 12 years ago.

He is survived by his wife and two daughters, Mrs. Glenna Pharris of Fullerton and Barbara, of the home. He was an uncle of Mrs. C. N. Watson and Mrs. Bill Watson, and Gilbert Boyd and Wayne Boyd of Drakes Creek. Mrs. Tennie Johnson of Fayetteville is a sister.

Funeral services and burial were in Fullerton.