28.08.2009

Overhead line accident in UK

A telecoms engineer employed by BT Openreach is in a serious condition in hospital after receiving an 11,000 volt shock on Wednesday from overhead cables in Catsfield, East Sussex – UK.

The accident occurred on Millers Farm in Powdermill Lane, Catsfield, Wednesday evening when the engineer, working from an aerial lift, came into contact with the power lines some four or five metres off the ground.

12 fire-fighters from Battle and Hastings went to the scene and lowered the man down a ladder set up against a nearby telegraph pole, after sedating and securing him. It seems that the rescuers were unable to lower the platform to the ground and avoided using a lift for the rescue due to the close proximity to the power lines. Although EDF had been called in to shut down the electricity supply.

The man, said to be in his 40’s, had been unconscious when the emergency services arrived, but was brought round before he was lowered to the ground. The Kent Air Ambulance then took the man to the Royal London Hospital.

A second engineer was working on the site at the time and witnessed the incident. A spokesperson for BT said: "I can confirm that this was an Openreach engineer involved in the incident. We are still pulling together all the details surrounding the incident to establish precisely what happened.”