Firm pays more than £100,000 after workers engulfed in fireball

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An engineer and an apprentice were asked to plate over the damaged circuit compartment to prevent it from being accessed until it had been properly inspected. They were removing debris from the compartment when an explosive arc of electrical energy engulfed them, setting their clothes on fire.

They ran into an a next door room where colleagues used a fire hose to extinguish the flames.

The engineer, who suffered burns to 47% of his body, was in a coma for four weeks, remained in hospital for five months and will never be able to return to work. The apprentice suffered 42% burns to his hands, arms and torso, and spent nine weeks in hospital.

The court was told that a suitable risk assessment had not been carried out for the work, and that management at the company had allowed it to go ahead without the electricity supply being isolated.