OPP-A local Gallion resident was killed by electrocution on Thursday shortly before 7:50 a.m., while on the job in Opp, Alabama. William Charles Watt, 31, of Gallion was working with a company that was building a 350-foot cellular telephone tower when he killed.

Investigator Junior Anderson of the Opp Police Department said Watt was working with a company called Webb Tower, who was in the process of building a new cellular telephone tower near the North Jackson Street extension.

“He was one of the men in a crew that was pulling some copper wire, when it struck an Alabama Power Transmission line delivering over 46,000 volts killing him instantly,” Anderson said.

He said he was pulling some copper wire that was going to be used for the ground wire, when it made contact with the power supply. He also said after receiving the electrocution, he was rushed to Mizell Hospital in Opp, where they tried to revive him, but he was pronounced dead.

“Copper wire is superconductive to electricity, so you have to be careful when handling it,” Anderson said.

He said the Opp Police Department along with a member of OHSA investigated the scene, but they agreed that it was an industrial accident.

Demopolis Police Officer Brady Tew has been Watt’s neighbor for around eight years now. He said when he first heard about the death of his neighbor he didn’t think it was true.

“When I was first told about his death, I couldn’t believe it,” Tew said.

He said he was a very hard worker and an excellent family man. He also said he had a wife along with one child and one that will be arriving very soon.

“He was just a very good guy and I still can’t believe he’s gone,” Tew said.