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#49427 03/07/05 12:03 PM
Joined: Jul 2004
Posts: 11
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An arc blast really hurt a guy out here in NJ. To make matters worse, the room had a bunch of combustables stored in it (mainly cardboard). Here's the article from the Newark Star Ledger:


An electrician severely burned in a fire at Plainfield High School remains in critical condition with "life-threatening" injuries, his family said yesterday.

Ollie Johnson, 68, sustained third-degree burns over 80 percent of his body and is in a drug-induced coma at St. Barnabas Medical Center in Livingston, according to his daughter, Lisa Johnson.

Johnson was working in an electrical room when some equipment became energized and caused an explosion just after 9 a.m. Saturday, fire Battalion Chief Richard Polunas said.

Joined: Jul 2002
Posts: 241
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I hope he and his Family get through this accident. Prayers help

Joined: Apr 2002
Posts: 7,381
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My best to this gentlemen and his family. This is another reason that "electric rooms" and "electrical closets" must not be used for storage. I had one last Thursday, on a service upgrade inspection, that was used as a 'garbage holding room'. The office staff (Dr. Office) had the "la-de-da" response to the verbal warning, & a look of amazement when I handed the receptionist a 'red sticker'. "It's been like that for years"!! Well, hopefully not anymore.

John


John
Joined: Dec 2003
Posts: 524
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... God help the poor guy,I hope he pulls through.. Prayers for him and his family..
God Bless..
Russ


.."if it ain't fixed,don't break it...call a Licensed Electrician"
Joined: Jul 2002
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Man that's a shocker.
Having been through serious burns myself, I can understand just what this guy is going through.
It's a long hard road to recovery and it affects more than just the victim.
My prayers are with this guy and his family.
Unfortunately, at the age of 68, your chances of recovering from burns this wide-spread are pretty remote, considering that lung damage is often the worst of the injuries and the body does not heal the same at that age.
Don't get me wrong, I'm not trying to sound down-beat here, but that is the reality of the situation.

Joined: Jul 2004
Posts: 11
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He's still with us as of March 9th, thank goodness. Here's a bit more information I got from a different paper:

Johnson, a Plainfield schools employee and pastor of the Progressive Baptist Church in Rahway, was taken to the burn unit at St. Barnabas Medical Center in Livingston. He suffered third-degree burns and lung damage as a result of severe smoke inhalation and was placed in a medically induced coma. Johnson remains in critical condition.

Joined: Dec 2002
Posts: 228
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A buddy of mine is an a different union here in NJ and he heard something about an allen wrench across the phases of a 277/480 panel. He is working on getting more info.

Joined: Jul 2004
Posts: 11
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That will do it. Dead short probably melted or vaporized allen wrench if it turns out to be the cause. Add to that some loose cardboard and you have yourself a real problem, especially if the blast had incapacitated him. We all hope he pulls through.

Joined: Nov 2000
Posts: 2,148
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I'm very sorry that this guy got hurt and hope that he makes it. That being said, we are not permitted to work on energized equipment other than for diagnostic work, and even then PPE based on the incident energy must be worn. These types of accidents are going to continue to happen until the field electricians insist on following electrical safe work practices and until they insist that their employers provide the proper PPE.
Don


Don(resqcapt19)
Joined: Nov 2000
Posts: 246
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Well said, Don.

Rick Miell

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