VACAVILLE, Calif. — The Solano Irrigation District (SID), which oversees the area in which two teens were electrocuted Monday, met to discuss the tragedy.
It began with board president John Kluge asking for a moment of silence for the two boys, his voice heavy with emotion.
Only two members of the public attended the 6 p.m. meeting, neither of whom spoke during the public comments section, so the board then moved into a private discussion with attorneys, which was closed to the public.
“The unfortunate and tragic death of two young men in proximity of a District facility on Weyand Lateral gives rise to a condition in which there is significant exposure to litigation,” the meeting outline says.
Board spokesperson Janet Zimmerman told ABC10 News that the discussion with SID attorneys was not prompted by any legal action on the part of either boy's family.
“This is common practice when something of this scale happens. It’s a very unfortunate accident," Zimmerman said.
Around noon on Monday, four teenagers and a dog were walking along an irrigation ditch just west of Dixon in Solano County. During that stroll, they crossed a bridge over the irrigation ditch and the dog fell into the water.
“It’s basically not so much a bridge as a catwalk, and it’s a very narrow steel cross-over of the canal with a handrail on one side," Zimmerman clarified. "It’s used by utility workers to get from one side of the canal to the other.”
Two boys - Jacob Hourmouzus, 17, of Elk Grove and Jacob Schneider, 17, of Dixon - jumped into the canal to rescue the dog. When they grabbed back onto the bridge for support, they were electrocuted.
For a reason not yet known, the bridge was electrified.
“We’re investigating," Zimmerman said. "We are cooperating with the Sheriff’s department on the investigation, and we don’t know exactly what happened. We’re waiting for the final report.”
Investigators say one of the two other teens jumped into the canal and was able to knock Hourmouzus and Schneider free from the bridge. He then pulled both boys and the dog to the side of the levee while the girl called 911.
First responders soon arrived, and both Hourmouzus and Schneider were taken to Kaiser Permanente in Vacaville, one by ambulance and the other by CHP helicopter. There, both teens were declared dead.
“This has been really hard on the district, the community," Zimmerman said. "This is a very small community. People know each other. Employees of the district know the families. Some of them knew the boys, and it’s wrenching. It’s heart-wrenching, and everybody feels terrible. It’s a very sad story and a horrible accident.”
A crew with PG&E de-energized the bridge, allowing investigators to examine the scene. Officials have not yet said whether they’ve determined how the bridge became electrified. The Solano County Sheriff’s office is handling the investigation.
The bridge and canal are all part of SID property.
“370 miles of canals, pipes and ditches (are) owned by the district,” Zimmerman said. “We serve thousands of homes and farms.”
Asked about caution and warning signage around the metal catwalk, Zimmerman said, “we have signs at public entry points to the canal” but didn't know whether there are signs on the bridge itself.
“It is district property," she said. "It’s not encouraged or to be used by the public, so that’s certainly something that we will be looking at.”
With 103 miles of irrigation canals, specifically, Zimmerman said adding fencing on either side would mean building 206 miles of barriers. She said regular inspections of the canals, bridges, pipes and ditches are part of routine yearly maintenance.
“There are regular inspections. That’s another thing we’ll be looking at: how often they’re done, how often they need to be done, what the protocol is. All of that is under consideration," Zimmerman said.
She didn't have information about when the catwalk in question was last inspected or repaired.
"That’s part of the information that’s being collected as part of the investigation for the sheriff’s department," she said.
Nothing like this has happened before in the Solano Irrigation District, Zimmerman said.
"It is a unique situation," she added.
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