PSEG worker injured after transformer explodes during outage repair in East Islip, New York
EIR-1026Provisional entry. Confirmed: a PSEG worker was injured when a distribution transformer exploded during an outage call in East Islip, New York, and was hospitalised in stable condition. Not yet known: the cause of the failure, the extent of any outage, and whether an investigation followed. Next update: 19 September 2026.
A PSEG worker was injured when a transformer exploded while he was working nearby on Wyandanch Avenue in East Islip, New York, on the evening of Monday 18 December 2017. He had been called out to a power outage at about 6.30pm. A witness report quoted by the local news outlet said the worker was burned and that the bucket of his truck appeared to be raised near PSEG lines, though this detail is not confirmed by the utility. He was taken to a local hospital and a PSEG spokesperson said he was in stable condition. The cause of the transformer failure was not reported, and no information was published on wider outage impacts, equipment damage or any investigation.
Not reported. The available report indicates only that the worker was close to the transformer, and a witness account suggests he may have been working from an elevated bucket near overhead lines when the failure occurred.
- Fault response and outage restoration work places staff close to plant that can fail without warning, so safe working distances and de-energisation where practicable remain the primary control.
- Arc-rated clothing and personal protective equipment reduce the severity of burn injuries during unexpected equipment failure.
- Equipment failures that injure staff warrant a documented root cause investigation, with findings shared across the asset fleet.
Published 2026-09-17. Written from public reporting. Descriptive, not investigative. See the data accuracy disclaimer.