Men injured in explosion recovering

Jose Paul Corona

One of the five men injured in the explosion at the Orange County

Sanitation District last week remains in critical but stable

condition at the Grossman Burn Center at the Western Medical Center

in Santa Ana.

Marc Posey, 35, sustained third-degree burns over 90% of his body

during the explosion in an electrical vault. Roger Webb, 60, suffered

third-degree burns over 6% of his body, said hospital spokeswoman

Sonoma Van Brunt.

Both men underwent surgery last week and each had a second

operation Monday, Van Brunt said.

“Marc is in critical but stable condition and Roger is in stable

condition and doing well after the second surgery,” she said.

It is not yet known if either man will have to undergo more

surgeries. Depending on how he progresses, Webb may be released from

the hospital next week, but will have to return for treatment on an

outpatient basis, Van Brunt said.

Two other men, Travis Lindberg and Scott Christianson were taken

to UCI Medical Center and treated for minor injuries and released.

The four men worked for Southern Contracting Company, a San Marcos

based sub-contractor.

A fifth worker, Phillip Sullivan, an employee of the Sanitation

District, was treated at Hoag Memorial Hospital Presbyterian and

released within a couple of hours. He is now back at work, said Lisa

Murphy, spokeswoman for the sanitation district.

The five men were in a concrete electrical vault upgrading

equipment when an electrical panel they were working on exploded.

The cause of the explosion is still not known and both the

sanitation district and inspectors from the California Department of

Occupational Safety and Health are investigating, Murphy said.

State inspectors arrived at the sanitation district the same day

the accident occurred.

“That’s pretty standard, it’s a high priority for them,” Murphy

said.

The investigation is expected to last several weeks, she added.