Morocco’s National Office of Electricity and Drinking Water (ONEE) denied on Saturday all responsibility for the electrical incident that occurred last Thursday at the Mohammed V airport in Casablanca.
In a statement, ONEE refuted local media reports that held the office responsible for the incident.
According to the aviation office, this incident resulted in an ONDA technician in charge of supervising and controlling electrical equipment suffering from burns.
He was immediately taken to a clinic in Casablanca, Moroccan news outlet Le360 reported.
Confirming the news, the ONDA noted that the electricity supply was cut off by ONEE, and that the airport’s generators took over, ensuring continuity of services and operations.
ONDA also pointed out that the maintenance of the high-voltage electrical equipment installed in the airport area, such as the one involved in this incident, are the responsibility of ONEE.
On the other hand, the ONEE specified that “the cause of the power cut was due to a short-circuit caused by an ONDA technician, and not the explosion of the ONDA’s measuring device.”
“Not respecting the instructions and necessary protection and safety maneuvers to be observed during such an intervention” was the cause that led to the incident, ONEE continued.
The office added that “intervention on this type of installation must be carried out without voltage to guarantee the safety of the intervening agent.”
According to the press release, ONDA employees are in charge of operating and monitoring the electrical equipment at its substation which supplies the Mohammed V airport with power.
