I suppose some might want to ask: just how do you cut open a wall that you suspect has live wires right under the surface?
There are a few ways. One of the best tools for this sort of job is the Fein Multi-master. With that tool you have an extraordinary amount of control, and you're not likely to nick the cable.
I used a small, cordless 'panel saw' - a scaled-down version of a circular saw- to cut through just the wood paneling. I then made another pass for the drywall, with the blade set very shallow. I then peeled off the paneling, and smashed through the drywall with a 2-lb. maul. "Safe" trumps "pretty" in this case.
Another tool that really proved itself on this job was an air filter made by Shop-Vac. Looking like a small jet engine, it really kept the airborne drywall dust to a minimum.
