A construction worker is now stable in hospital after being injured when a live cable was accidentally cut in central Dunedin.
Multiple police, fire and ambulance staff were called to George St after reports of an explosion just before 9am on Friday.
A nearby shop worker said they heard a “big bang” and the sound of metal falling.
A worker with visibly blackened hands was later taken by ambulance to Dunedin Hospital with serious injuries.
READ MORE:
* Worker seriously injured in reported explosion in Lyttelton
Isaac Construction chief executive Jeremy Dixon said the worker received burns when a live cable was accidentally cut.
The injured worker was initially treated by an off-duty doctor, and those working on the CBD upgrade project wanted to thank the doctor in person.
The worker’s injuries were serious but not life-threatening, he said.
She was in a stable condition and receiving treatment at Dunedin Hospital.
Hamish McNeilly/Stuff
An apparent explosion on Dunedin’s George St prompted a large emergency services call out.
“Our immediate focus is on supporting our colleague, her family and the wider Isaac team. Many of our people are understandably feeling very upset at what’s happened,” Dixon said.
WorkSafe had been notified, and an investigation would take place.
End of life claims
Meanwhile, the electrical cables that gave a worker the shock were “at the end of life”, according to a former manager at city council-owned company Delta.
Richard Healey spent decades working on the city’s electrical network.
Hamish McNeilly/Stuff
Emergency services at the scene of an apparent explosion on Dunedin’s George St, which left a worker injured.
The cables along George St – the city’s premier shopping street – were paper insulated, lead covered and grease filled, he said.
“Over time the grease dries out, and handling them requires some real skill and pre-planning.”
There were two basic voltage categories in the area, 400v and the higher voltage of 6600v, he said.
When someone cuts through paper insulated lead covered cables “there is an absolute dead short between the conductor and the outside … and it instantly vaporises the lead”.
That creates a “massive flash”, Healey said.
Hamish McNeilly/Stuff
A worker has been injured after what is thought to have been an explosion in George St.
He believed the cables along George St were installed in the 1950s and 1960s, and were now “at the end of life”.
He understood there were no plans to replace the cables under George St, which was a concern, he said.
The main reason for the work was to replace old water, wastewater and stormwater pipes – some of which date back to the late 1800s.
The lines were owned and operated by Aurora, a sister company to Delta, which has been approached for comment.
Healey said replacing the cables would be “the smart thing to do”.
Hamish McNeilly/Stuff
A worker was taken away in an ambulance.
“But it is a big job to replace it.”
A city council spokesperson said the city’s electricity infrastructure was owned and maintained by Aurora Energy, and replacing it was not part of the retail quarter upgrade.
“However we are coordinating with Aurora where they need to undertake any work in the area.”
Aurora has been asked for comment.
After the incident, a worker at the site said they had to leave as it was “dangerous”, but nearby businesses were not evacuated.
A St John spokesperson said the ambulance service responded by sending a rapid response vehicle and ambulance to the scene. One person was treated and taken to Dunedin Hospital in a serious condition.
The work was part of a major upgrade of George St, beginning with the block outside of Farmers. Work to allow the replacement of pipes meant that particular block had been reduced to one lane.
Five hundred metres of pipe was being repaired, replaced or upgraded as part of a $60 million project called ‘Totally Georgeous.’
The city council had allocated an additional $28.2m to redesign the surface of the road and turn traffic one way to make room for public event and casual entertainment spaces.
This would be done in blocks, and was expected to be finished in 2024.
