2 contractors remained hospitalized after electrical incident at Patapsco Plant

BALTIMORE (WBFF) — Two contractors remain hospitalized following an electrical infrastructure incident Tuesday at Baltimore’s Patapsco Wastewater Treatment Plant, according to an update from the Baltimore City Department of Public Works (DPW) on Wednesday.

DPW said one worker remains in critical condition and the other in serious condition.

The injured workers were involved in contractor-led construction work to expand the plant’s electrical capacity as part of an ongoing capital improvement project.

Officials said work on the electrical capacity expansion project has been suspended while investigators determine the cause of the incident.

Based on information available so far, DPW said the event appears to have involved an electrical fault or arc flash associated with the construction activity.

The department emphasized that the incident was not related to the plant’s wastewater treatment processes or normal day-to-day operations.

“At this time, there is no indication the incident involved wastewater treatment processes, digester gas, combustible materials, or any plant operations associated with explosive hazards,” DPW said in its update.

Following the incident, plant crews worked throughout the evening to restore power and treatment operations.

DPW said a single electrical feed was restored Tuesday night, allowing full wastewater treatment operations to resume shortly afterward. The department said treatment processes are now functioning normally.

Officials also confirmed that a temporary power disruption caused a sanitary sewer overflow on Patapsco Avenue.

The overflow was quickly mitigated by DPW’s Utility Maintenance Division and will be reported in accordance with regulatory requirements.

The electrical capacity expansion project is part of ongoing efforts to modernize and strengthen infrastructure at the Patapsco Wastewater Treatment Plant, Maryland’s second-largest wastewater treatment facility.

According to DPW, the construction project is separate from the plant’s treatment operations, which have continued to perform reliably.

DPW said it will provide additional updates as more information becomes available.