FORT LAUDERDALE, FLA. (WSVN) – A crane that touched a live power line in Fort Lauderdale caused an electrical explosion, which landed a worker in the hospital and injured another.
The crew was working on a building along Himmarshee Street in Fort Lauderdale when they came in contact with the live line on Wednesday.
“That individual was transported to Broward Health in serious but stable condition,” Fort Lauderdale Fire Rescue Battalion Chief Stephen Gollan said. “The crane had come in contact with high-voltage lines — approximately 138,000 volts.”
Fort Lauderdale Fire Rescue said it was fortunate that more people were not injured, and the injured worker was alert and talking on the way to the hospital.
They also said if it hadn’t been for a nearby Fort Lauderdale Police officer, the injured man could have been much worse.
“He got out of his patrol car, came over to rescue the individual that had fallen, had been electrocuted next to the crane,” said Gollan. “He assisted that individual getting them across the street. Luckily, he was able to get him across the street before any additional explosions took place, and the power was secured to the area.”
Misty Collier’s car was parked across the street from the explosion. Her back windshield was shattered due to the flying debris.
“It was like a really loud explosion, and then some guy fell on the ground and yelled really loud,” said Collier. “We all kind of got up to see, to make sure someone was calling someone. All the asphalt and stuff that was under the crane just blew up.”
Chunks of asphalt could be seen scattered across the street.
“I was right here at the window, so I saw basically everything, and the debris from the concrete exploding everywhere,” witness Mikeria Russ said.
“I just thought the worst, you know, concrete flying and hitting someone,” witness Tina Lucero said. “It could have been a lot worse than it was.”
The crane was apparently trying to lift a piece of equipment to the roof of an adjacent pizzeria at the time of the incident.
Florida Power & Light crews responded to fix the damage, and power has been restored to the area.
The cause of the explosion remains under investigation.
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