Local Man Killed When Electrocuted

A 22-year-old Effingham man has died after being electrocuted in a freak accident while working on a billboard owned by Dusty's Sign Service near Centralia.

Marion County Coroner Troy Cannon says Zachariah Lock was in the process of installing a new fabric on a billboard on Route 161 just east of Centralia when the metal pole he was about to place into a sleeve to hold the billboard fabric in place came in contact with an electric line only about a foot away. Lock was on a metal ladder at the time. He was knocked to the ground and apparently died instantly.

Cannon says an off-duty emergency room nurse was one of those who was passing by and saw what happened. She unsuccessfully tried to give CPR. Lock was transported to SSM Health St. Mary's Hospital where he was pronounced dead.

Cannon said Lock was working alone. The incident occurred around 1:00 Wednesday afternoon.

Cannon says the electric line was just in the area of the billboard and was not providing any electricity to the sign.

The Marion County Coroner's Office, Marion County Sheriff's Department, and Ameren are all investigating the case.

Funeral arragements for Lock are located here.