A Lawrence man died Friday morning while repairing guttering on the north side of the historic Turnhalle building near Ninth and New Hampshire streets.

Police identified the man as Thomas R. “Dick” Sheppard, 54. A LinkedIn account for Dick Sheppard lists him as vice president of Rain-Man Guttering.

Gina Penzig, spokeswoman for Westar Energy in Topeka, said Sheppard indirectly came in contact with an overhead power line and was electrocuted. She said Westar believes Sheppard was holding a piece of metal that touched the line.

A bent piece of aluminum flashing, which is used to redirect rainwater, was found near Sheppard’s body.

Sheppard and another worker were making the repairs near Westar power lines. The other worker called 911 when he found Sheppard on the ground. Lawrence police and Lawrence Douglas County Fire Medical responded to the call, received at 7:57 a.m., and Sheppard was pronounced dead at the scene, said police spokeswoman Kim Murphree.

Westar Energy officials conducted their own investigation after police and fire department officials cleared the scene.

Westar supervisor Tim Betts said that the lines near the building were not covered, as others near other nearby worksites are. Had someone alerted Westar that people would be working near the lines, Westar would have covered them at no cost, Betts said.

Betts said Westar covers power lines with thick composite plastic as a safety precaution by request. Betts said construction site managers often call Westar to place the coverings when work is being done near power lines.

“If you touch just one line and go to the ground it’s 7,200 volts,” Betts said.

The Turnhalle building is one of the Lawrence Preservation Alliance’s projects and is the biggest rehabilitation project ever attempted by the group, according to the alliance’s website.

Construction on the building was nearing completion at the time of Sheppard’s death and the organization recently entered into a contract to sell the building to developer Tony Krsnich, the man behind the Poehler Lofts and Warehouse Arts District in East Lawrence.

The Lawrence Preservation Alliance hired David Dunfield of Dunfield Designs as architect of the building for its renovation.