16 May 2015

Auckland power worker still critical

8:06 pm on 16 May 2015

An electrical worker is in a critical condition in hospital after an incident at an Auckland substation that caused a massive power cut on the North Shore.

power pylon

Photo: RNZ / Diego Opatowski

The man had been with a crew from Electrix, an engineering and maintenance company, doing planned work when the incident happened.

A spokesperson from the company said the worker received serious burns and was taken to Middlemore hospital following the incident in Belmont this morning.

An investigation is underway, but the company says its main priority so far has been to support staff and and the man's family.

The power cut affected more than 11-thousand homes and businesses in the area for about an hour and a half..

Vector's website indicated areas from Devonport up to Forrest Hill and across Northcote and Birkenhead were affected by the power cut.

The NZTA warned of some road delays because of the cut.