Westminster Man Severely Burned by Power Line on Job

A Westminster man severely burned in an work-related accident was on a respirator and in extremely critical condition Tuesday, authorities said.

Samuel Garcia, 29, and a co-worker were adjusting an aluminum ladder when it touched a high-voltage power line, officials said. Garcia received third-degree burns, including electrical current exit wounds near his right shoulder blade and the back of his head, said Larry Weinberg, a spokesman at Grossman Burn Center in Sherman Oaks.

The co-worker, Anaheim resident Francisco Alvarado, 30, was also at Grossman, listed in fair condition with second- and third-degree burns on both hands.

The accident happened Monday afternoon between two apartment buildings in the 11300 block of Nebraska Avenue in West Los Angeles. It was not clear Tuesday what kind of work the two men were doing, said Brian Humphrey, a spokesman for the Los Angeles Fire Department.