Lahaina man killed after mango picker touches electric wire

LAHAINA - A 59-year-old man was electrocuted and killed Tuesday morning while picking mangoes in a tree at the family residence in Lahaina, police said.

Police identified the man as Jack H. Kahahane.

He was using an aluminum mango picker that touched an overhead high-voltage wire that was next to the tree, according to police, who responded to the 11:02 a.m. call at the residence on Front Street near the intersection with Honoapiilani Highway.

When Kahahane's nephew, who was among family members at the home, tried to help his uncle, he was shocked as he touched the tree, police said.

Firefighters responded to retrieve Kahahane's body from the tree.

Police closed off Front Street near the the residences and Maui Electric Co. cut power to the area at 11:10 a.m.

About 400 customers were affected, most in Lahaina and some in part of Kaanapali, said Maui Electric Co. spokeswoman Kau'i Awai-Dickson. She said power was restored to 95 percent of customers just before noon, and the rest were back online around 2:45 p.m.