Linesman in serious condition after transformer accident

Emergency services were called to the scene about 9.40am in Bayswater. Photo / NZ Herald

A linesman remains in a serious but stable condition in hospital after being flung from a live transformer in Auckland.

Vector released a statement today saying a full investigation into the incident at a substation in Bayswater was ongoing.

"Our thoughts are with him, his family and his co-workers," it said.

Michael Van De Ruyt was critically injured when he was exposed to a 33,000 volt live transformer, resulting in an explosion which neighbours described as a "hellish bang".

He was an experienced powerline worker who had been with Electrix for "a number of years", the company's general manager Rob Ferris said.

"It's awful. It affects us all. Lots of employees are ringing up and asking after him," he said.

Mr Van De Ruyt was taken by ambulance to Middlemore Hospital's burns unit.

His brother Richard Van De Ruyt told the Herald on Sunday that family and friends had spent the day at his bedside.

He was hopeful that his brother would make a full recovery.

"He is doing all right. He's not talking or anything," he said.

On Saturday night, a family friend who did not want to be named said that Mr Van De Ruyt was in a medically induced coma with burns to 35 per cent of his body.

"[His] internal organs seem to be good," the friend said.

She said that he was conscious and shouting for help after the accident.

"He's an amazing guy that would give you the shirt off his back and we are just so devastated this has happened to him," the friend said.

The incident happened on Vector's northern network and resulted in power being briefly cut to 10,000 homes, the company said.

Other crew members working at the substation at the time of the accident had been offered counselling.