LAX Electrocution

[paul]

An unfortunate workplace accident happened last week at LAX. The following was sent out to me by the contractor I work for, who does work at LAX. My thoughts and prayers go out for this man's family

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A 33-year-old private contractor died an hour after he was shocked Tuesday while doing electrical work associated with the renovation of Terminal 6 at Los Angeles International Airport, officials said.

Duane Pfannkuch of Los Angeles was shocked just after 11 a.m. inside a mechanical room that's not accessible to travelers passing through LAX's Terminal 6, according to airport, Los Angeles Fire Department and county coroner officials.

Pfannkuch was taken to Marina del Rey Hospital, where he died an hour later, according to the Coroner's Department.

Alaska Airlines is making $271 million worth of improvements to Terminal 6, which had not undergone any significant upgrades for 30 years. The project is expected to be completed early next year.

Pfannkuch was an employee with Morrow Meadows Corp., a City of Industry-based subcontractor for Hensel Phelps Construction
Co., which was hired by Alaska Airlines to complete the terminal renovation.

Executives at Morrow Meadows could not be reached for comment. Employees at the Irvine office of Hensel Phelps referred questions to Alaska Airlines.

The accident is under investigation by the California Division of Occupational Safety and Health, said Marianne Lindsey, a spokeswoman for Seattle-based Alaska Airlines.

"We are assisting in the investigation and we express our condolences to the employee's family and his co-workers," Lindsey said.

 

[T.M.Haja Sahib]

An unfortunate workplace accident happened last week at LAX. The following was sent out to me by the contractor I work for, who does work at LAX. My thoughts and prayers go out for this man's family

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A 33-year-old private contractor died an hour after he was shocked Tuesday while doing electrical work associated with the renovation of Terminal 6 at Los Angeles International Airport, officials said.

Duane Pfannkuch of Los Angeles was shocked just after 11 a.m. inside a mechanical room that's not accessible to travelers passing through LAX's Terminal 6, according to airport, Los Angeles Fire Department and county coroner officials.

Pfannkuch was taken to Marina del Rey Hospital, where he died an hour later, according to the Coroner's Department.

Alaska Airlines is making $271 million worth of improvements to Terminal 6, which had not undergone any significant upgrades for 30 years. The project is expected to be completed early next year.

Pfannkuch was an employee with Morrow Meadows Corp., a City of Industry-based subcontractor for Hensel Phelps Construction
Co., which was hired by Alaska Airlines to complete the terminal renovation.

Executives at Morrow Meadows could not be reached for comment. Employees at the Irvine office of Hensel Phelps referred questions to Alaska Airlines.

The accident is under investigation by the California Division of Occupational Safety and Health, said Marianne Lindsey, a spokeswoman for Seattle-based Alaska Airlines.

"We are assisting in the investigation and we express our condolences to the employee's family and his co-workers," Lindsey said.

The Electricity can kill instantly.But here the man died after an hour,perhaps due to internal injuries.Why could he not be saved by Modern Medicine? Any medical incompetence?

 

[iwire]

The Electricity can kill instantly.But here the man died after an hour,perhaps due to internal injuries.Why could he not be saved by Modern Medicine? Any medical incompetence?

Considering neither of us is a medical professional anything we say is just a guess but I am thinking burns to internal organs.

 

[petersonra]

The Electricity can kill instantly.But here the man died after an hour,perhaps due to internal injuries.Why could he not be saved by Modern Medicine? Any medical incompetence?

Time of death is when the doctor (or other person authorized by law to do so) says "he is dead". He might well have been dead on the scene but not declared dead until he got to the ER. That is pretty common.

It is also not unusual for people to linger for a short time before expiring. Sometimes they are even conscious and talking during the process of expiring.

 

[T.M.Haja Sahib]

I am thinking burns to internal organs.

Burns to internal organs? Do you mean he was electrocuted by high voltage?

 

[T.M.Haja Sahib]

Time of death is when the doctor (or other person authorized by law to do so) says "he is dead". He might well have been dead on the scene but not declared dead until he got to the ER. That is pretty common.

Do you mean coroner's department lied?

 

[iwire]

Burns to internal organs? Do you mean he was electrocuted by high voltage?

No, but as far as we know he may have been hung up on the live wires until rescued, in that case even 120 volts would produce internal burns.

 

[iwire]

Do you mean coroner's department lied?

You sure ask some ridiculous questions.

It strikes me that you are not who you claim to be.

 

[petersonra]

Do you mean coroner's department lied?

The coroner generally does not declare time of death.

Time of death has a specific legal meaning that does not always accurately reflect reality 100%.

 

[T.M.Haja Sahib]

You sure ask some ridiculous questions.

It strikes me that you are not who you claim to be.

It seems to me you are a hasty fellow,unfit to be in moderator post.

 

[pandulce]

Duane

Duane

The newspaper writes what they hear. Duane was my only brother. (my little brother) He was brought to the hospital and pronounced dead but it's unknown how long he lived after he was shocked. I think he died instantly, but we will never know. He never regained consciousness. Myself and his family are mourning are sudden tragic loss. It is a living hell for us all. My life will forever be impacted.

 

[roger]

Pandulce, my condolences and prayers go out to you and your family.

Roger

 

[iMuse97]

Pandulce, also my sympathies and prayers for you and your family.

 

[pfalcon]

It seems to me you are a hasty fellow,unfit to be in moderator post.

iwire has an excellent reputation as moderator. Unfamiliarity with US procedures is not an excuse for your comment. Please maintain respect for the forum members and moderators.

US procedure requires a doctor or coroner to pronounce someone dead.

The doctor or coroner records the time that he examined and determined the person was dead. When specifically required by a criminal investigation the coroner estimates when the death might have occurred. Since this was an accident at a known place and time the coroner would not have been asked to make that estimate.

The US media often errs by not including "pronounced dead one hour later" and saves column space by just saying "died one hour later".

Death due to heart fibrillation occurs quickly unless someone is there who can help at the scene. Death due to damaged (cooked) organs may take more time but cannot be prevented. It requires organ transplants that are not available in that amount of time.