Boy electrocuted trying to dry off horse with a fan

July 9, 2010

BY SUSAN DEMAR LAFFERTY SouthtownStar

An 11-year-old boy was electrocuted by a fan he turned on to dry a horse in his family's barn in New Lenox Township.

Chase Niemeier was pronounced dead Tuesday at Silver Cross Hospital. His parents had attempted CPR before New Lenox paramediics arrived.

Chase was washing one of the family's nine horses with his two younger siblings when he grabbed the fan and fell over. The fan then fell on top of him, officials said.

The sixth-grader was very active, his family said.

"There wasn't anything he wouldn't do," said Chase's grandmother Shirley Fiordirosa. "He would volunteer for everything," even singing in a Christmas program.

Chase had been a member of the New Lenox Baseball Association since he was 5. He was a shortstop for the championship Bronco Phillies team last season.

He also was a member of the New Lenox Youth Football Association for four years, playing middle linebacker for the Junior Warriors, and a member of the championship K3 Lightning Youth Arena Football team in Bourbonnais.

Chase also is survived by his mother, Gina Niemeier; a sister, Gianna; a brother, Reese, and grandmother Carol Shaw.

A memorial service is scheduled for 1 p.m. Saturday at the Lincoln-Way West High School football field at Gougar and Spencer roads.

From: http://www.suntimes.com/news/metro/2480698,CST-NWS-electro09.article