Two men were airlifted to Royal Columbian Hospital Thursday morning after suffering an electric shock while working in White Rock on Victoria Avenue near Vidal Street.
Emergency crews were alerted to the incident around 10 a.m. It occurred as the pair were installing a light standard on the north sidewalk of Victoria Avenue.
“They were setting up a light standard and they contacted the primary lines,” White Rock deputy fire Chief Bob Schlase said.
Flagger Mandy Penner was directing traffic in the intersection when she heard a scream and saw the two men on the ground.
“I heard a scream and a thump and they were both on the sidewalk,” Penner said. “The one guy was not moving. The other guy was convulsing.”
Paramedics, firefighters and police responded to the 911 call, and the two men – a 33-year-old Burnaby resident and a 47-year-old South Surrey resident – were transported by ambulance to a helicopter waiting at Centennial Park.
Thursday afternoon, WorkSafe BC spokesperson Megan Johnston would not disclose the condition of the men, citing confidentiality, but did say that both were conscious when transported to hospital.
BC Hydro and WorkSafe “fatal and serious incident” investigators were on the scene.
Johnston said preliminary findings indicate the two victims were guiding a light standard that was being moved into place by a crane when the crane touched a high-voltage power line.
More to come…
