Church members pray for pastors shocked by power lines

Author: Kristin Sanchez & Adam Wright
Published: Updated:

PORT CHARLOTTE, Fla.- Two church pastors are recovering after being badly shocked by power lines.

According to the Community Life Center Facebook page, Senior Pastor Mark Coffey and Youth Pastor Kalvin Kress were involved in Friday’s accident.

Shortly after noon, emergency responders discovered the men in the bucket of a lift which appeared to have gotten too close to a nearby power line.

Susan Weidner called 911 after she heard and saw the horrific scene.

“I was sitting in my back lanai, I heard a loud like explosion sound and immediately people screaming, so I ran out and looked and I seen the two men on top of the cherry picker, they’re both sitting down on top of the thing and the one guy’s shirt… it was bad, blown off,” said Weidner.

The men were transported to Blake Memorial Hospital in Bradenton. Charlotte EMS says the men have serious injuries but are in stable condition.

Friday evening, dozens of church members gathered to pray for their leaders’ recovery.

“Every time I’ve had my four kids in the hospital, when I had them, they were the first ones there. Very caring and trying to be involved in the community,” said church member Sara Rofsten of Coffey and Kress.

This is a developing story. Check back for updates.

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