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Professor Electrocuted by Hanging Power Line Despite Warnings
30 Aug
Summary
- Professor Roland Levinsky died from electrocution after hitting a power line.
- Two calls warned of the dangerous cable but were miscategorized.
- His death was called 'entirely preventable' by his grieving family.
Professor Roland Levinsky, formerly the vice-chancellor of the University of Plymouth, died on January 1, 2026, due to electrocution from an 11,000-volt power line. The line had fallen onto a footpath near Wembury, Devon, after strong winds damaged a support pole.
Despite two calls made to Western Power Distribution reporting the dangerous cable, the incidents were miscategorized by call centre workers. This led to an engineer being diverted from the fault, as the calls were not treated with the highest priority. Tragically, the professor came into contact with the live wire while walking with friends and his wife.
An inquest found his death to be from fatal electrocution. His wife, Beth, stated that his death was 'entirely preventable' and criticized the lack of action and communication from the power company. The university announced it would name a new £30 million arts building in his honor.
