Two injured in electrical explosion in west Auckland

Two men working on an underground cable have been injured in an electrical explosion in west Auckland, one of them seriously.

Police said the men were digging a hole when they struck an 11,000 volt underground cable on the corner of Hobsonville and Trig Rds, a short distance from the Whenuapai air base.

Ambulance communications staff confirmed one of the men had been taken to Auckland Hospital with serious injuries and the other had been taken to North Shore Hospital with moderate injuries.

Both men were working for Vector.

Vector spokeswoman Philippa White said the men were doing a fault repair on the underground cable at the time of the accident.

One has burns to his hands and the other has burns to his stomach.

Ms White said a power outage in Hobsonville resulting from the accident had now been restored.

Vector will be carrying out a thorough investigation into what happened, she said.

- NZ Herald staff, NZPA