Two shocked in midtown by Con Ed Service box

(New York- WABC, February 12, 2006) (WABC) -- Two people had to be taken to the hospital, after they were shocked by contact with a Con Edison metal plate in midtown.

Four people suffered electric shocks at a service box on 42nd Street.

Eyewitness News' Jeff Rossen went there, and reports that it happened twice today on a single metal plate in the area.

First, two teenaged girls walked on it and were shocked. They kept going, and never told anyone. That was a mistake. Later, two more people walked on the plate, and were shocked seriously enough that they couldn't move, had muscle spasms and had to be taken to the hospital.

Con Edison crews were called to the area, and taped it off to traffic. They say it appears the problem is weather-related, and that the winter conditions may have caused erosion in some cables. They were replacing them at the scene Sunday.

It's a very sensitive topic for Con Ed, which replaced miles of cable after a dealy incident in which a woman was shocked and killed on a New York City street in 2004.

If you find a problem with a Con Ed cable, you can alert the company by calling 1.800. 76 -ConEd.

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