SDG&E worker injured while working near power lines in El Cajon
Posted 3:42 PM, August 15, 2016, by Salvador Rivera and Sandra Phillips, Updated at 07:37pm, August 15, 2016
EL CAJON, Calif. – A worker for San Diego Gas & Electric was injured while on the job in El Cajon Monday, utility officials said.
An SDG&E worker was operating a "cherry picker type" bucket used to work on power lines when the worker was injured, according to City of El Cajon spokeswoman Monica Zech. Heartland Fire crews took the injured worker to a local trauma center believed to be UCSD Medical Center.
"I saw him there was smoke in the bucket and he was yelling to get him down, he was moving his arms and stomping like he was trying to put out a fire," said Christine Austin, who lives across the street from where the accident happened.
SDG&E truck drives away after worker gets injured near power lines.
The employee was working on replacing a single pole when an arc flash occurred (arc flashes are approximately 35,000 degrees Fahrenheit), according to Cal/OSHA.
SDG&E spokeswoman Amber Albrecht confirmed the worker was in the area of Shady Lane in El Cajon around 11:30 a.m. Monday, but did not provide details as to what happened to cause the worker to get hurt.
SDG&E released a statement regarding the situation:
“The SDG&E family is saddened to report that one of our employees has been injured and transported to the hospital. There is no higher priority than the safety of our employees and community and we will fully investigate this incident.”
The employee was hospitalized with very serious injuries, according to Cal/OSHA.
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SDG&E Worker Shocked by Power Line in El Cajon
An SDG&E employee was shocked by a power line Monday, according to El Cajon Police.
By R. Stickney
An SDG&E worker was electrocuted and then hospitalized after his crane-operated bucket hit a power line above Shady Lane in El Cajon. NBC 7’s Matt Rascon has more. (Published Monday, Aug. 15, 2016)
A San Diego utility worker made contact with an electrical line Monday and had to be rushed to the hospital.
Police and firefighters were called to Shady Lane at 11:20 a.m. after they received the report of an electrocution.
A San Diego Gas & Electric employee was working in one of the basket of one of the company's vehicles when the employee was shocked by a power line, according to El Cajon Police.
Police would not comment on the worker's condition but did say the patient was transported to UC San Diego Medical Center.
SDG&E employees at the scene would not comment on the incident and referred us to their corporate media representatives.
NBC 7 received a statement from SDG&E:
“The SDG&E family is saddened to report that one of our employees has been injured and transported to the hospital. There is no higher priority than the safety of our employees and community and we will fully investigate this incident.”