Liberty, Mo. ? A man installing new city water wells here was electrocuted by a power line Thursday.

Steve Hansen, the city’s public works director, said the accident happened about 8:30 a.m. Thursday, one mile east of Missouri Highway 291.

The victim died at the scene and his name has not been released.

“It’s just an awful accident,” Hansen said.

The man was in a bucket lift when he apparently touched high-voltage electrical lines, said Liberty Fire Chief Gary Birch.

The man worked for Midland Electrical Corp. in Raytown for a decade, according to owner Vince Groff.

He said company workers were devastated.

“He’s been a friend of mine for a long time,” Groff said. “He’s just a really good guy.”