Man gets electric shock, power knocked out after truck hits power line in Bedford

HALIFAX – Halifax Fire has confirmed a man received an electric shock during maintenance near the Bedford Place Mall on Thursday morning.

Division Commander Corey Beals said work was underway to install a propane tank around 7:20 a.m. when a boom projecting from a truck hit a 25,000-volt power line.

He said the man was touching the propane tank when the truck connected with the power line and got a shock, burning his hands. The man was taken to the hospital to be checked for other injuries.

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The incident knocked out power for more than 3,200 residents of Bedford and Sackville.

Fire crews say they found the man more than 10 feet from the propane tank.

The driver of the truck was uninjured in the incident.

A spokesperson from the province’s labour department said officials are on scene preparing to move the truck so power crews can repair the lines.

Power restoration to all the affected areas is expected to be completed early in the afternoon.

A stop-work order will be put into effect on the truck and propane equipment to make sure there is no lingering danger from the electrical contact.

The investigation into the incident is ongoing,

CORRECTION: An earlier version of this story used incorrect terminology to describe the victim’s injuries. He received an electric shock, but survived and was taken to hospital.

With files from Julia Wong