Shoddy Electrical Work Killing US Troops in Iraq

Hazard from substandard work worse than Pentagon has acknowledged
By Rob Quinn,  Newser Staff
Posted Jul 18, 2008 4:00 AM CDT
Shoddy Electrical Work Killing US Troops in Iraq
This undated photo, shows Staff Sgt. Ryan Maseth. Ryan, 24, was electrocuted in his shower in Iraq on Jan. 2, 2008.    (AP Photo)

Shoddy electrical work by private contractors is making Iraq an even deadlier place for US troops, reports the New York Times. At least 13 troops have died from electrocution and many more have been injured. Others have perished in electrical fires. The problem is worse than the Pentagon has acknowledged, with 283 fires sparked at military installations in a 6-month period, according to Army documents.

Communications between the Pentagon and contractor KBR reveal officials were aware of a problem but did little to address it before the family of a Green Beret electrocuted in a shower pushed for answers. KBR, overwhelmed by the huge scale of the work, turned over electrical jobs on buildings used by the US military to subcontractors that hired unskilled workers for a few dollars a day. (More KBR stories.)

Get the news faster.
Tap to install our app.
X
Install the Newser News app
in two easy steps:
1. Tap in your navigation bar.
2. Tap to Add to Home Screen.

X