Three workers hurt in accident at Seattle electrical substation

SEATTLE -- Three workers were injured in an accident at an electrical substation Wednesday in Seattle, briefly knocking out power to nearly 10,000 customers.

City Light said an accident at the East Pine Substation near 23rd Avenue and East Pike Street triggered the power outage. The construction crew was trying to install a ground rod inside the substation when their equipment caused an electric arc from an underground power line.

Seattle Fire Department officials said a City Light worker was injured in a 20-foot fall from a ladder The worker was taken to Harborview Medical Center in serious condition.

Medics also said a 63-year-old man suffered 1st degree thermal burns.

A third person, a man in his 20s suffered minor injuries and was taken to the hospital.

None of the injuries was life-threatening, Harborview Medical Center spokeswoman Susan Gregg said Wednesday night.

Seattle City Light first tweeted about the outage shortly after 2 p.m. Affected neighborhoods included parts of Capitol Hill, Madison Park and Madrona.



City Light crews had fully restored power by 3:30 p.m.

This is a developing story and will be updated.