EVANSVILLE, Ind. — A 14-year-old boy was flown to a burn trauma center after being electrocuted at a work site north of Evansville on Monday, his father said.
John Wanko, who owns the Ohio-based company doing the work, said his son, Alexander Wanko, was seriously injured in the incident and was in critical condition when he first arrived at Norton's Children's Hospital in Louisville. A hospital nurse reported that the teenager was in stable condition Tuesday afternoon.
An ambulance was sent to the accident site at SIGMA Equipment, 424 E. Inglefield Road, at 10:13 a.m. Monday.
Vanderburgh County Sheriff David Wedding said a SIGMA Equipment manager told a deputy that the company did not know a 14-year-old was on the property.
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The manager did not respond to Courier & Press calls seeking comment.
Here is what happened, according to interviews with Wedding, Scott Township Volunteer Fire Department Division Chief Jared Sights, and John Wanko:
A work crew belonging to the S.W. Griffin Company from Blue Ash, Ohio, was in the Evansville area to disassemble used 15,000-volt industrial electric panels it purchased from SIGMA, which buys and sells used manufacturing equipment. The panels were being sold by the owner of the building at 424 E. Inglefield Road.
Although Alexander was at the site, he was not part of the work crew that included Wanko's older son and a nephew. John Wanko says the teen is home-schooled and was supposed to have remained at a hotel on Monday.
A screenshot of an advertisement, provided by John Wanko to the Courier & Press, said the panels "will be de-energized and disconnected" by the building owner before removal.
When the 14-year-old walked behind the panels to retrieve a tool, a bolt of electricity arced from the panel and struck him in his face, exiting from his hand.
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A Scott Township ambulance responded to a report of "potentially non-life threatening injuries" from an electrocution and transported the victim to an Evansville hospital.
Wedding said the deputy responded because he was close to the scene and remained when he learned the victim's age. Wedding said a brief report was made but it was not a criminal matter. Any further actions in the incident, if there were any, would likely be a workplace investigation, conducted by the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA).
John Wanko said his work crew immediately contacted him and he drove to be with his son from another work location in Ohio. He said his son's injuries are severe and he will need physical therapy.
John Wanko said the jolt briefly stopped his son's heart and that the teen will stay in the hospital until the resulting enzyme levels go back down.
Mark Wilson covers education and environment at the Courier & Press. Contact him at mark.wilson@courierpress.com.
