Two tradies rushed to hospital with serious electrical burns

New details of a horrific workplace accident on the Gold Coast have emerged from an eyewitness who said one of the men was ‘burnt all over’.

Graphic new details of a horrific workplace accident on the Gold Coast have emerged from an eyewitness.

Two tradies aged in their 30s were rushed to hospital with serious electrical burns after the accident at an Ashmore shopping centre on Tuesday.

It’s believe they were installing solar panels on the roof of the Pit Stop shopping centre when they were injured.

Workplace Health and Safety officers have arrived at the scene where two people suffered horrific electrical burns and were rushed to hospital. Picture: Scott Powick.

Posting on Facebook, Renee Agnew said her son was getting a haircut at the centre’s barber shop when the incident happened.

“One guys (sic) clothes were blown off him, he was burnt all over,” she wrote.

“The other guys face was burnt off, so friggen scary. I was in shock witnessing this terrible accident. The sound of the explosion was so loud! God help these poor young men.”

Queensland Ambulance Service operations supervisor Neil Stead said the men’s injuries were consistent with flash burns from the electricity.

#Update - One patient was transported serious to Gold Coast University Hospital and another in a critical condition to Royal Brisbane and Women's Hospital following earlier workplace incident at #Ashmore

— Queensland Ambulance (@QldAmbulance) January 19, 2021

One of the men received burns to his face, chest and arms, while the more severely injured man was also burnt on his legs.

The badly injured man was taken to Brisbane’s Princess Alexandra Hospital while his workmate was transported to Gold Coast University Hospital. He has since been released.

Workplace Health and Safety Queensland has launched an investigation.

Electrical Trades Union organiser Beau Malone said the union was keen to find out what had happened and was also looking to help the victims’ families.

Emergency services at the scene of the accident at a cafe in Ashmore. Picture: 7 News Gold Coast