An explosion on a suburban street in central Auckland has left a Watercare contractor with burns to his face and arms.
Fire crews were sent to reports of a blast on Ladies Mile in the suburb of Ellerslie at around 12:30pm.
Police says workmen were underground when the explosion occurred - but Watercare, who sent them, say they weren't.
"The crew were not underground at the time. They were working in a shallow excavation in the berm when the incident occurred," Watercare infrastructure delivery manager Steve Webster said.
The workers were breaking open concrete around a pipeline by hand when they struck a live electrical cable, creating a flash that burnt one worker's arms and face. He was treated by St John Ambulance staff at the scene, and has since been taken to hospital.
A spokesperson for energy company Vector, who is currently at the scene assisting investigations, says the workmen failed to perform the necessary checks before digging into the ground.
They say the incident is a good reminder for anyone undertaking digging work to call 0800 B4U DIG first, to avoid injury or complications.
Ladies Mile and Remuera Rd have been blocked off following the explosion.
Worksafe NZ has been notified of the incident, and Watercare says it will be conducting its own investigation into the incident.
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