Worker clinging to life after suffering burns at Jersey City high-rise
By Charles Hack/The Jersey Journal
May 16, 2010, 8:17PM

Michael Dempsey/The Jersey JournalAn electrician who was working at 95 Columbus Drive in Downtown Jersey City is now clinging to life after suffering second- and third-degree burns at the high-rise.An electrician doing work at a Downtown Jersey City high-rise was rushed to the hospital early today with life-threatening second- and third-degree burns after power was restored to an electrical switch he thought was turned off, officials said.

Police were called to Pershing Plaza at 95 Christopher Columbus Drive at 12:06 a.m. and found the 47-year-old electrician lying face down on the first floor, reports said.

EMS rushed him and another 33-year-old electrician, who suffered minor burns to his left forearm, to the trauma center at Jersey City Medical Center, reports said.

But the burns to the 47-year-old were so severe, he was airlifted to the Burn Unit at St. Barnabas Hospital in Livingston at about 3 a.m., Fire Director Armando Roman said.

The 47-year-old is listed in critical condition.

Both men work for Scholes Electric & Communication in Piscataway, reports said.
The less injured victim told police that his co-worker was changing a switch after checking that power had been shut down for the work. He said that while working on the switch, PSE&G restored power, reports said.

At that point, there was a large flash followed by an electrical fire that burned both victims, reports said.

David Hollenbeck, a spokesman for PSE&G, said that the cause of the accident is under investigation but a PSE&G crew working with the building engineer was advised that the contractors had completed their work and began to restore power.

When a PSE&G employee heard a flash he stopped restoring power immediately, Hollenbeck said.

Scholes Electric could not be reached for comment.

Police have notified the state Occupational Health and Safety Administration about the incident, reports said