Electric shock closes school

Hundreds of pupils missed lessons today after a worker suffered an electric shock at a Stourbridge secondary school.

Ridgewood High School in Park Road West, Wollaston, was closed to pupils this morning after the drama which left the worker needing hospital treatment and cut off half the power to the building.

Paramedics were called to the site at around 3.30pm yesterday.

Headteacher Clive Nutting said a contractor had been injured while completing rewiring work in the school's boiler room. When electricians switched the power back on the wiring blew, Mr Nutting added.

At the time of the accident no staff or students were on site as they were attending an event at the Copthorne Hotel in Brierley Hill.

West Midlands Ambulance spokeswoman Claire Thomas said an ambulance and rapid response vehicle were sent to the school just after 3.30pm, where they found a man in his 30s who had suffered an electric shock.

He was taken to Dudley's Russells Hall Hospital and paramedics had left the school by 3.50pm. Blown circuits have affected power supply to half of the school and the kitchens, computer servers and heating were all cut off today.

Mr Nutting confirmed the school, would be closed to pupils for the rest of today but added he was hopeful it would reopen tomorrow.

He said: "As far as I understand the contractor is OK."

A statement issued on the school's answerphone this morning said: "The school is closed to students today. This is due to an electrical problem, therefore we haven't been able to get messages through as we normally would."

Councillor Liz Walker, cabinet member for children's services, said she had been unaware of the closure until she was contacted by the Express & Star.