Power line mishap shocks utility workers

Members of a utility crew were transported to Aurora Medical Center in Grafton last week after workers struck a high-voltage power line in the village. 

The Grafton Fire Department responded to the scene on Bridge Street just west of 17th Avenue at 9:30 a.m. Friday, July 12. 

Public Works Director Amber Thomas said three employees of Luxembourg-based Dorner Inc. and a village public works employee were replacing a water lateral when they sawed through the power line.

A large portion of the village experienced a blackout until We Energies restored power about an hour later. During the outage, traffic lights and fire alarms were affected.

Grafton Fire Chief Bill Rice said all four workers were hospitalized overnight for observation.

“Fortunately, the injuries weren’t as bad as they could have been,” he said.

Rice said the crew was working in a trench when they came across power lines they believed were not in use. When trying to remove the lines, all four workers felt a jolt from the 25,000-volt line when it was cut.

“It could have had catastrophic results. It could have killed somebody,” Rice said.

The workers were able to get out of the trench and call the fire department. The Grafton ambulance transported two of the workers, and the others were taken by Port Washington and Thiensville crews.