Mass. Workers Injured by Electrical Explosion

ANDOVER -- Fire officials said two electrical workers employed by a Billerica subcontractor were seriously injured yesterday morning in an explosion at a construction site off Dascomb Road.

Andover Deputy Fire Chief James Dolan said fire officials received a call at 10:09 a.m. from Mayo Clinic Medical Laboratories at 169 Dascomb Road. He added that two electricians were reportedly working on a high-voltage panel at the time of the explosion.

One electrician, who suffered first- and second-degree burns to his face, was transported to Lawrence General Hospital. The other, who Dolan said suffered more severe burns to his face, neck and arms, was initially transported to Lawrence General Hospital but wound up being driven via a life-support ambulance to Massachusetts General Hospital in Boston.

Dolan said his injuries were severe enough to warrant the use of a Med-Flight helicopter, but poor weather had grounded yesterday's flights.

Dolan said he could not disclose the identity of the workers. As of 7 last night, police were also withholding the workers' identities.

According to fire officials, the workers are employed by Billerica-based Interstate Electrical and were part of a crew tasked with renovating part of a building occupied by the Mayo Clinic.

No one answered the phone at Interstate Electrical's Treble Cove Road offices yesterday afternoon. A message left on Interstate Electrical President James P. Alibrandi's home answering machine in Westford was not returned.

On its website, Interstate Electrical touts the company's safety record. Last year Interstate Electrical's EMR (Experience Modification Rating) stood at .80.

EMR is the factor which insurance companies use to set worker-compensation insurance rates. The lower a company's EMR, the better its safety compliance.

According to the National Council on Compensation Insurance, Interstate Electrical's rating is classified as "effective."

Dolan said the electricians were prepping the building to be occupied by Belgian-based Agfa, which is moving its Wilmington office to Andover.

The incident is being investigated by OSHA in addition to police and fire officials.

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