ACWORTH, Ga. — A memorial continues to grow in Acworth for a man who was killed after he was electrocuted while trimming trees in the area.
Marvin Cifuentes, 38, was doing what he loved and what helped him support his wife and three little girls back in Guatemala. He was part of the crew trimming trees on Academy Street last week when police say he came in contact with a power line and was electrocuted. According to officers, the shock caused him to lose his life.
A cross now stands at the base of the tree where Cifuentes died, surrounded by photos placed by family and neighbors who want to ensure he is not forgotten.
Robyn Johnson, a neighbor and the first to call 911 recounted the moments leading up to the tragedy.
“I had seen him before he even went up," Johnson said. "I nodded to him as he started climbing the tree. It felt like 5-10 minutes from nodding my head, watching him climb up the tree, to him passing away, but it was only 3 minutes because I went back through my ring camera."
The accident has sparked calls for accountability and changes in the city’s procedures for such operations. Neighbors are questioning if proper safety measures were in place before the tree-trimming company began its work. Concerns have also been raised about the city’s permitting process, as the tree trimming was part of a project for a new home on the property.
“We want to know what measures were taken to prevent this accident,” one neighbor said. “This could have been prevented.”
City records show the company had a permit to work on the property, but the power was not turned off, despite neighbors calling to express their concerns hours before the incident.
While the city and police department investigate, OSHA is also investigating the accident. Neighbors hope the investigation will lead to changes that prevent similar tragedies in the future.
“We go to work hoping to come home,” Johnson said. “There are higher-risk jobs, but there were moments in time that could have been changed to potentially alter the outcome.”
For those wanting to support Cifuentes’ family during this difficult time, an online fundraiser has been set up.