ST. THOMAS — A V.I. Water and Power Authority lineman suffered an electrical shock and burn while performing fieldwork on St. Thomas Friday afternoon, WAPA Director of Corporate Communications Shanell Spencer confirmed in an interview with The Consortium. The employee was conscious and receiving medical attention, although the extent of his injuries remained unknown.
The incident occurred on November 6, between approximately noon and 3 p.m., according to Spencer, who spoke with The Consortium on Saturday. She said the authority had not yet established the precise location of the incident or the full extent of the employee's injuries.
The confirmation followed the circulation of screenshots and audio recordings suggesting that a WAPA employee had been electrocuted. Spencer rejected that characterization, explaining that the worker had suffered a nonfatal electrical injury.
"No, electrocution means that somebody died," Spencer said when asked about the reports. "So you would call it a shock and burn. He was shocked," she added, clarifying the nature of the injury.
Asked about the employee's condition, Spencer said WAPA was still awaiting information regarding the severity of the injuries.
"We're not aware of the extent at this time of like the damages or injuries," she said, before adding, "we do know that he's conscious."
The authority had previously confirmed the incident in a brief statement issued Friday, saying only that an employee had sustained injuries while conducting fieldwork on St. Thomas and was under medical care. The statement did not disclose that the injury involved an electrical shock and burn.
The identity of the injured lineman has not been publicly disclosed.
Spencer was also unable to confirm whether the employee would require medical evacuation from St. Thomas for additional treatment.
"At this time, we don't have that information," she said when asked whether he might need to be airlifted for care.
The circumstances surrounding the electrical injury have also not been established. Spencer said WAPA intends to conduct an investigation to determine how the incident occurred, with its safety department playing a central role in that process.
She explained that the authority's immediate priority following an employee injury is to ensure the worker's safety and notify the appropriate emergency contact. An investigation into the circumstances of the incident would follow.
Spencer described WAPA's safety department as responsible for promoting safe working practices across the utility's operations, including monitoring work sites, checking protective equipment and ensuring that crews follow appropriate safety procedures.
Those responsibilities include verifying that workers have the necessary personal protective equipment, use the correct tools and establish appropriate safety measures around their work areas.
She emphasized, however, that workplace safety is not exclusively the responsibility of the safety department, but an obligation shared by employees throughout the authority.
When asked whether WAPA maintains its own emergency medical response capabilities for employees injured in the field, Spencer explained that certain personnel receive specialized training, including instruction related to emergency response.
She said linemen undergo training in rescuing colleagues injured while working on power lines, as well as procedures to follow once an injured worker has been brought down safely.
WAPA has previously outlined its lineman training initiatives on St. Thomas, including instruction involving electrical safety, climbing techniques and other specialized skills required for utility fieldwork.
Spencer did not specify which emergency procedures were used following Friday's incident or whether any additional medical personnel were summoned to the scene.
In WAPA's initial statement, Chief Executive Officer Karl Knight expressed concern for the injured employee and acknowledged the dangers associated with utility work.
Knight emphasized that protecting employees remains central to the authority's operations and urged the community to keep the lineman and his family in their thoughts.
"We want every one of them to return home safely to their families at the end of the day," Knight said, referring to WAPA personnel who perform potentially hazardous work throughout the territory.
The authority has not disclosed what caused the electrical shock, the severity of the burns or whether the employee will require additional treatment outside the territory.
WAPA's anticipated investigation is expected to examine the circumstances surrounding the incident and determine how the injury occurred.
