Two Roofers Shocked at Construction Site in Bridgewater

Two roofers at a residential construction site in Bridgewater were recently electrocuted when the ladder they were moving touched an electrical wire overhead. After a fellow construction worker called 911, emergency crews arrived to find that one of the workers, Angel Caguana, 23, of Brockton, was unconscious. Bridgewater Fire Lieutenant, Robert Mancinelli, said that Caguana was in cardiac arrest upon their arrival and the other victim, Antonio Gomes, 22, had been shocked but did not have life-threatening injuries. Mancinelli said firefighters administered CPR and applied a defibrillator to Caguana. His heart rate soon increased from zero to 120 and he started to breathe on his own. He was flown to Massachusetts General Hospital by MedFlight and his injuries were listed as serious. As a safety measure, Gomes was taken by ambulance to the Good Samaritan Medical Center in Brockton with non-life-threatening injuries. Police reported that both men work for a Brockton construction company and were installing a roof on the residence at the time of the accident.

Electrocution accidents can result from a wide variety of circumstances. Many electrocution accidents occur in the workplace and most frequently occur at construction sites, as was the case here. Because the majority of construction work involves the use or installation of electricity, construction workers are in close proximity to live wires, circuit breakers, control panels, or power lines, such as above.

Electrocution accidents can also occur from faulty wiring, or involve a faulty product, such as a hair dryer or microwave. As a safety precaution for the general public, the Western Massachusetts Electric Company recommends never to touch any downed or sagging power lines. Because it is very difficult to tell the difference between a telephone line, cable television line or electrical line, it is recommended to consider any line to be energized and thus potentially dangerous.

If you have suffered an electrocution accident on the job or have been injured at work, it is advised to contact an experienced Massachusetts workers´ compensation lawyer.

Sources:

Worker shocked by overhead wire is revived in Bridgewater, www.boston.com, November 9, 2011
Safety, Security and Lighting, Community Safety, Western Massachusetts Electric Co.