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A fi refi ghter opens a hydrant during a fire at the family court.
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4 workers hurt when transformer blows up

The Blade/Andy Morrison

4 workers hurt when transformer blows up

Four workers upgrading the electrical system in the Lucas County Family Court Center in downtown Toledo were hurt yesterday when a transformer on which they were working exploded, authorities said.

They suffered injuries from either an electrical shock or electrical burns and were taken to St. Vincent Mercy Medical Center, one of them with critical injuries, Battalion Fire Chief Mark Kline said.

All the injured workers were contract employees for GEM Industrial Inc. of Lake Township, said Ron Donnal, a GEM spokesman.

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Three of the workers were released from the hospital by last night, but one remained there, he said.

Neither the company nor county or fire officials would release the victims names.

The damage, most of it to electrical equipment in the basement of the building at North Michigan and Jackson streets, was estimated at $200,000, Chief Kline said.

As a result, power throughout the building was shut down.

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The small fire that followed shortly after the explosion at 1:30 p.m. was contained in the building s electrical and furnace room by a sprinkler system, but smoke spread throughout the building, Bernie Quilter, county clerk of courts, said.

County officials will evaluate the extent of damage to the building and its electrical system over the weekend to determine when the court center will reopen. If it is closed for the first part of the week, offi cials would explore holding scheduled hearings in other courthouses, said

David Mann, public affairs liaison for the county commissioners.

The building was mostly empty; court employees had been sent home at noon because of the planned electrical upgrades.

First Published April 7, 2007, 1:53 p.m.

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A fi refi ghter opens a hydrant during a fire at the family court.  (The Blade/Andy Morrison)  Buy Image
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