Energized Wiring in Abandon Building

[big john]

A buddy of mine in was recently going through an abandon plant of some kind when he came across some old production equipment. Because of the condition of the building he assumed it was without power and, ignoring the sign reading "DANGER 13,200 VOLTS", he threw the handle on a disconnect. He was rewarded with a mighty electrical arc. Though frightened, he wasn't injured, thankfully.

Apparently school children often play in this building, and come to find out it has energized medium-voltage equipment spread throughout. I couldn't tell him absolutely who to call to have this problem addressed; I took some educated guesses and told him to stay on the phone until he found someone who promised him the service would be disconnected.

It raises the question: Who is in charge of addressing problems like this? The city engineer; inspection office; POCO; who?

-John

[ March 08, 2004, 03:55 PM: Message edited by: big john ]

 

[tonyi]

Re: Energized Wiring in Abandon Building

Tax records for that plot would show who actually owns the property (someone does, even if its the town who got it through a tax repo). I imagine that someone would be interested in the liability aspects of this condition. A dead kid could empty one's bank account pretty quick...

 

[charlie]

Re: Energized Wiring in Abandon Building

Just a guess but I would say that someone would be paying the electric bill or the electric utility would have disconnected the power.

 

[charlie tuna]

Re: Energized Wiring in Abandon Building

i am working in a school that used to be a large medical lab with big rooms full of old mechanical equipment. someone made a splice in a 480/277 volt system that "back fed" back into the original equipment. this was from two 20 amp lighting circuits --the whole mechanical room was energized! i wrote the school a letter informing them of the situation and liabilities involved. the splice was made by a unlicensed subcontractor who had disconnected the wires thinking he could energize a receptacle near his equipment board. he found out it was 480/277 volts and spliced it back but included some old existing wires that were left in the junction box!!!!