Sadly, the maintenance worker burned while working at Plainfield High School, has died.
Following is the article from the Newark Star-Ledger:
An electrician severely burned in a fire at Plainfield High School last week has died.
Ollie Johnson, 69, died at 1:20 a.m. Saturday, officials said yesterday. He had worked for the district for 18 years.
"We're deeply saddened," district Superintendent Paula Howard said yesterday. Johnson had a "spiritual and graceful way of being" that added to the district, she said.
"It's a sad day in Plainfield," said Jiles Ship, the city's safety director.
Johnson was working in an electrical room at the high school March 5 when some equipment became energized and caused an explosion just after 9 a.m. Johnson spent a week in a drug-induced coma at St. Barnabas Medical Center in Livingston with third-degree burns over 80 percent of his body. He was removed from a respirator several days ago.
Johnson, who lived in Scotch Plains, was also pastor of the Progressive Baptist Church in Rahway. He was planning to celebrate 10 years with the congregation this summer.
"We loved him. We'll miss him," Shirley Palmer, the church historian and secretary, said yesterday.
Plainfield High School, which was closed last week because of the fire, is scheduled to reopen today.
Ship said the district is planning a memorial for Johnson, though details have not been set.
