JUNE 24, 2015
BOYD COUNTY, KY (WSAZ)
An outside contractor working at the AK Steel’s Ashland Works was apparently electrocuted in a workplace accident Tuesday.
The Boyd County Coroner says Dwane Walters, 47, of Hico, W.Va. was working for Siemens at the time of the accident.
Mark Hammond tells WSAZ Walters was doing testing at a substation when he came in contact with a wire. Walters then yelled, telling workers to shut the power down.
AK Steel says Walters was taken by ambulance to King’s Daughters Medical Center, where he died.
Hammond says the power had already been shut down, "locked out and tagged out like it was supposed to be.” He also says there was apparently a lot of voltage but not a lot of amps in the wire.
AK Steel confirms Walters was performing routine electrical maintenance work at the time of the accident.
OSHA is expected to visit the plant Wednesday to conduct their investigation, according to the Coroner.
Siemens released a statement Wednesday, saying they are in the process of working with officials to determine the cause of the accident. They added that their thoughts and prayers are with the Walters family.
An autopsy will determine the exact cause of death, which Hammond believes is electrocution.
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