It started like any other workday – a routine trip to London. After arriving on site, I completed a thorough CAT scan, marked out the area, and geared up. I had my boots, PPE, ear defenders, and mask on, with my overalls tied around my waist since I wasn't digging just yet.

After cutting away the tarmac crust, I decided we’d dig by hand, having identified some underground services during the scan. It felt like the safest choice. For the first few minutes, everything was routine. We reached the clay pipe connection, revealing two sections of pipe. However, without the proper core drill in the van, I used a regular SDS bit and an ordinary drill. As I pressed down for the final hole, the bit caught something solid. I hesitated, then
pushed on.

And then – a deafening bang.

I had just drilled straight into an 11,000-volt cable.