A 25-year-old utility worker was electrocuted while working on elevated power lines at 30 Railroad Street in Revere on Saturday afternoon, cutting power to large swaths of the city and nearby communities. The worker, identified by police as a Michels Power employee, was rushed to Massachusetts General Hospital and is in stable condition. He was left hanging in his safety harness after the shock until co-workers and emergency crews were able to bring him down. Traffic signals across town went dark during the outage, and crews temporarily restricted access to the area while they worked.
What happened at the scene
According to NBC Boston, Revere police say the incident occurred at about 1:24 p.m., when the worker made contact with a live wire, triggering a loud electrical discharge that witnesses could hear and see. Co-workers were able to lower the injured man using his safety harness, while a bystander who identified as a nurse stepped in to provide aid and called for an automated external defibrillator, police told the outlet. Authorities are withholding the victim’s name while the incident remains under review.
Rescue and access
First responders initially had trouble getting to the worker because the job site sat behind a secured chain-link fence topped with barbed and concertina wire. Revere firefighters cut through the fencing to reach the injured man, WHDH reported. The outlet also quoted National Grid saying it was aware of an incident involving one of its contractors that temporarily affected service from the Revere substation. Police and fire officials later praised the quick work of the on-site crew and the nurse who stayed with the victim until EMS arrived.
Outages and restoration
Outage data showed tens of thousands of residents in Revere and neighboring Winthrop lost power during the afternoon, with peak estimates reaching about 27,000 customers, according to WBZ NewsRadio. Officials warned drivers that intersections with dark traffic lights could be especially hazardous while crews scrambled to bring systems back online. By mid-afternoon, most customers had their lights back, with WBZ reporting that power was restored to most affected areas by about 3:15 p.m.
Why line work remains dangerous
Contact with overhead power lines is a well-documented and potentially catastrophic hazard for line crews and construction workers, according to a National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health review of electrocutions in the construction industry. The report emphasizes de-energizing lines whenever possible, maintaining safe clearances and following lockout/tagout procedures to prevent accidental contact with live conductors. The recent blizzard that hit Massachusetts also increased restoration workloads and hazardous field conditions for utility crews, the Boston Globe reported.
Investigations and reporting
Serious workplace incidents like this can trigger both internal company reviews and regulatory scrutiny. OSHA guidance requires employers to report work-related fatalities to the agency within eight hours, and any in-patient hospitalizations within 24 hours. Local authorities and the utility say the matter remains under review as investigators work to determine how the contact occurred and whether safety protocols were followed. Revere police have asked anyone with footage or information about the incident to contact investigators.
City officials thanked residents for their patience as crews repaired damaged equipment and urged drivers to treat dark signals as four-way stops while work continued. Officials said they will provide updates if there are material changes to the worker’s condition or the investigation’s findings.
