2 teenage boys electrocuted while rescuing dog from canal in Northern California

DIXON, Calif. -- Authorities in California say two teenage boys were electrocuted while trying to rescue a dog from an irrigation canal at an orchard.

According to the Solano County Sheriff's Office, four teenagers, three boys and one girl, and a dog were walking along a Solano Irrigation District canal off of Dixon Avenue, west of Interstate 80, in the town of Dixon.

During their walk, two of the boys and the dog began crossing a metal bridge and, for an unknown reason, the dog jumped or fell from the bridge into the canal, authorities say.

The sheriff's office said that two of the boys, identified as 17-year-old Jacob Hourmouzus of Elk Grove and 17-year-old Jacob Schneider of Dixon, jumped in to save the dog. As the two boys grabbed the dog and reached up to the metal bridge to keep from being pulled down the canal, witnesses say the two teens appeared to be electrocuted and could not release their grip. The third boy saw this happening and jumped into the canal and knocked the boys off the bridge.

The third boy pulled the teens and the dog out and the girl called 911.

The boys were taken to a hospital in Vacaville where they later died.

PG&E arrived on scene and quickly deactivated power to the energized bridge, making the site safe for investigators.

The sheriff's office says they are continuing to investigate this incident.

"Our thoughts and prayers go out to the families of everyone affected by this tragedy," says Solano County Sheriff Thomas A. Ferrara. "The Solano County Sheriff's Office will continue to search for answers as to how this incident happened."

The sheriff's office says the dog survived.