Hydro worker dies while trying to restore power
Posted September 22, 2010 12:39 pm.
This article is more than 5 years old.
TORONTO, Ont. – A hydro worker has been killed in Port Elgin, Ont., while working to restore power after a severe thunderstorm Tuesday overnight, Saugeen Shores Police Service confirmed to 680News.
The Westario Power employee was working at a hydro station at Bruce and Catherine streets.
Reports said the victim is a 27-year-old man who was hit by a 2,400-volt blast of electricity.
The Ministry of Labour has been called in to investigate.
Severe thunderstorms and high winds rolled through the GTA Tuesday overnight leaving thousands of residents and businesses without electricity.
The storm brought down trees and hydro wires, knocking out power to thousands from the GTA to cottage country.
The fast-moving powerful storm blew across the GTA, and provincial police said the storm toppled about 12 hydro poles in the Brampton area.
Two people were injured when a severe storm knocked down trees and left much of the Huntsville region without power.
A woman was taken to hospital with non life-threatening injuries and a man suffered serious injuries after a tree toppled onto their car in Port Sydney.
At the height of the storm, more than 17,000 hydro customers had their power wiped out, with most of those concentrated in the Huntsville area.
Marylena Stea with Hydro One told 680News that number is a lot less now. She said the worst-case scenario is that power won’t be restored for some until 4 p.m. For others, it could be until noon.
The Ontario Provincial Police were forced to close a portion of Highway 141 for a few hours because of downed power lines.
