2 contractors injured in electrical fire near Atlantic Station prompts large police presence
Police are currently at a high-rise building in midtown Atlanta.
Officers told Channel 2 Action News that they responded to reports of a possible explosion at 271 17th Street around 3:08 p.m..
The Atlanta Fire Rescue Department says the incident was not an explosion but an electrical incident during a routine system upgrade.
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Atlanta Fire Rescue and paramedics were at 217 17th Street Saturday afternoon following reports of a person down from electrocution.
AFRD said while performing maintenance on the building’s 15th floor, someone was electrocuted.
When firefighters arrived, they found two patients down, suffering from severe electrical shock. The sprinkler system was activated due to a small fire on the 15th floor, officials told Channel 2 Action News.
Earlier Saturday, Atlanta police were also on the scene to help assist with incident response.
Offices inside the building include several law offices and the Atlanta office of U.S. Senator Jon Ossoff. Police have not connected any tenants of the building to the Saturday incident.
In a statement from the building’s managers, some of the details of the incident were said to be related to maintenance work.
“Two contractors were injured while doing construction on a floor within the 271 17th Street building. We are thankful that the impacted individuals are in stable condition being treated by healthcare professionals,” a spokesman for the 271 Building, managed by Cushman and Wakefield, said.
Channel 2 Action News learned Saturday evening that the two electrical contractors who were injured were performing what AFRD described as electrical upgrades as part of planned construction activities.
Both contractors were transported to the hospital in critical condition by Grady Memorial staff.
The fire’s cause, while deemed electrical, is under investigation.
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