A crane hit high-voltage wires in Fort Lauderdale, causing a double electrical explosion

One person has been hospitalized in serious but stable condition after getting shocked in what led to an electrical explosion in downtown Fort Lauderdale.

Southwest Second Street is closed from Third to Fourth avenues while Fort Lauderdale police and Florida Power & Light investigate. FPL said 13,500 customers lost power, but 80% had it restored within two minutes. As of 1 p.m., 143 customers remained without power.

Fort Lauderdale Fire Rescue Battalion Chief Steve Gollan said a crane lifting an object off a nearby building touched FPL lines with 138,000 volts of electricity. The person in the crane wasn’t affected, but the person standing next to the crane was electrocuted. The crane contact also caused an electrical explosion that sent asphalt pieces flying into car windows.

While a Fort Lauderdale police officer tended to the injured person, Gollan said, a second explosion occurred. A person on the roof was injured, but didn’t want to be taken to the hospital.

This story was originally published April 7, 2021 at 12:43 PM.

David J. Neal

Miami Herald

305-376-3559

Since 1989, David J. Neal’s domain at the Miami Herald has expanded to include writing about Panthers (NHL and FIU), Dolphins, old school animation, food safety, fraud, naughty lawyers, bad doctors and all manner of breaking news. He drinks coladas whole. He does not work Indianapolis 500 Race Day.