Worker Shocked By Live Wire On Silicon Valley Job Site

SANTA CLARA COUNTY, CA — A construction worker using a boring machine at an underground site in San Jose this morning was shocked by a live wire, sending him to the hospital, fire and PG&E officials said. Firefighters responded at 9:55 a.m. to the area of Kiely Boulevard and Norwalk Drive behind a nearby Lion Supermarket, San Jose fire spokesman Joshua Padron said.

According to PG&E spokeswoman Tamar Sarkissian, a third-party contractor was operating the boring machine when he made contact with an underground electric power line.

Padron said the worker, a 40-year-old man, was taken to Santa Clara Valley Medical Center. He did not immediately know the extent of the man's injuries.

PG&E crews responded and de-energized the power line, Sarkissian said. Padron said the scene was declared under control within about an hour.

About 800 PG&E customers in the area briefly lost power as a result of the incident but had it restored quickly, according to Sarkissian.

Final repairs on the line could take several hours to complete, she said shortly before 1 p.m.

"Our thoughts and prayers are with the injured party," Sarkissian said.

She urged contractors not to use heavy machinery like a boring machine when an underground power line is nearby and said anyone doing a digging project should call 811 beforehand to mark any underground utility
lines.

By Bay City News Service / Image via Shutterstock