Senior dispatcher Steven Klass said San Jose resident Tomas Sanchez responded when a neighbor on the ground cried for help at 6:30 p.m. He ran into the back yard of a home at 2128 Orlando Drive and scaled a tree as a severed electric wire swung wildly nearby.
The victim had been trimming a tree when one of the limbs struck a power line. The man was shocked but did not fall because he was wearing a climbing belt, Klass explained.
Sanchez steadied the victim for more than an hour until Pacific Gas & Electric could cut power to the line, allowing firefighters to perform a safe rescue.
``He climbed up there, and it wasn't too safe,'' Klass said. ``We told him to stay up there until PG&E arrived.''
The victim's identity was not released Monday night, but Klass said his injuries were not life threatening. Firefighters said the victim was trimming trees to ready the home for sale. No one lives at the East San Jose address, they said.
Firefighters have asked Sanchez to visit a San Jose fire station this week for a formal congratulations. ``We've talked to him and we hope he accepts our offer for a celebration,'' Klass said. ``He did a great thing.''
