Eleven rail workers were taken to hospital for assessment and observation after their Arc Infrastructure (formerly Brookfield Rail) crew was impacted by a lightning strike while working near Kookynie, south of Leonora, on Saturday.
Arc Infrastructure said everyone on the team, which comprised eight labour hire contractors and three Arc Infrastructure employees, was expected to make a full recovery.
The lightning strike occurred at 8.35am on Saturday, and nine of the eleven workers were released from hospital by 8pm that night, the WA rail business said.
All eleven had been transported to Leonora Hospital after the incident, before two were then airlifted from Leonora to Kalgoorlie for assessment.
As of 9am on Monday, October 16, one Arc Infrastructure employee and one labour hire contractor remained in Kalgoorlie Regional Hospital, but both were expected to be released by the end of Monday, and both are expected to make a full recovery, the company said.
“Our focus in the last 48 hours has been on ensuring these people have received the right medical attention they need and their families are well informed and supported,” Arc Infrastructure said in a statement.
“We deeply appreciate the efforts of the teams at St Johns Ambulance Leonora, Royal Flying Doctors Service, Leonora Hospital and Kalgoorlie Regional Hospital.”
The company said a full investigation is underway into the incident.
Close lightening strikes have been a bugbear in the rail industry for many years. A definitive policy has never been implemented and the time has come to adopt a policy which can be ratified and written into the Railway Act. Our hearts go out to those 11 railway workers and their families who have been dealt a serious blow by this unfortunate event.