Crossrail worker burned in ‘electrical explosion’

A Crossrail worker is being treated for burns after a suspected electrical explosion at a site in Drury Lane, central London.

London Ambulance Service, London Fire Brigade and the Metropolitan Police all attended the scene after the incident at around 12.40 today.

Crossrail confirmed a construction worker undertaking utility excavation was “struck a below ground electrical cable” and added the Health and Safety Executive has been informed.

A spokesperson for the HSE said: “HSE was informed of a cable strike incident in Camden as a result of which one person received burns and was taken to hospital. Inspectors from HSE attended the scene and will be carrying out a full investigation.”

A Metropolitan Police spokesman said: “Police were called at approximately 12.45 today following reports of an electrical explosion on a building site on High Holborn at the junction with Drury Lane.

 “Officers, London Fire Brigade and London Ambulance Service are in attendance. One man believed to be in his twenties has been taken to an east London hospital.

“The Health and Safety Executive will be notified in due course. Road closures remain in place.”

The London Ambulance Service said: “We were called at 12.43 to Drury Lane at High Holborn to reports of an incident.

“We sent an ambulance crew, duty officer, two cycle respondants, a motorcycle respondant, our hazordous area response team and London Air Amulance team in a car to the scene.

“Our staff treated a man believed to be in his thirties for burns and they have taken him to the Royal London Hospital by ambulance.”