3 Beverly Workers Shocked After Scaffolding Touches Live Wire

BEVERLY (CBS) – Three workers were shocked Tuesday morning when they accidentally touched a live wire while lifting a piece of scaffolding.

It happened around 10:30 a.m. at a home under construction on Fosters Point. They were raising the scaffolding there when it accidentally came in contact with a live wire and the men all fell to the ground.

All three workers were taken to Beverly Hospital. One has critical injuries.

The other two people have minor injuries.

A neighbor recalled how he found the injured workers and rushed in to help.

"They were carrying this piece of staging from that side of the house to the other side of the house. And it evidently hit the top of the powerline," John Ventrulla said. "My wife had heard two big thumps to the ground so she looked out and she saw that two guys were laying on the ground."

He said one man was able to tell him they were shocked. Another was more seriously hurt.

"I got a pulse on his wrist, but it was very weak," Ventrulla said. "That lasted until just about the time the EMTs and the fire department showed up. I backed off and they proceeded with CPR and also an AED. I don't know how he made out. He was in tough shape. I'm hoping he was going to survive."

Police said the workers are out of New Hampshire and had been working on this house for a while.