A devastating workplace accident has shaken the tight-knit community of Grand Cay in the Bahamas, where a 35-year-old Bahamas Power and Light (BPL) employee and small business owner died from electrocution while on the job Tuesday evening.
Lawrence Cooper, who had served BPL for more than five years and ran his own ferry service on the island, was performing maintenance on a high-voltage utility pole shortly before 9 p.m. when the incident occurred. First responders rushed the injured worker to Grand Cay’s local clinic, but he was pronounced dead just an hour after arriving at the facility.
The sudden loss has left Cooper’s family and neighbors reeling, with his uncle Maxwell Cooper describing the tragedy as an unexpected blow. Maxwell, who raised Lawrence and taught him most of his technical skills while the pair lived in the same family compound for years, spoke to local outlet The Tribune while waiting to transport his nephew’s remains off the island. “Everybody liked him. The whole community liked him. He was a nice boy. He liked boats,” Maxwell shared, noting that the entire community is struggling to process the sudden passing.
In an official statement released the day after the incident, BPL confirmed that formal investigations into the fatal accident are already underway, and offered its full condolences to Cooper’s family, friends, and colleagues. The utility company added that it is prioritizing support for affected staff and will release further details as the investigation progresses. Energy Minister JoBeth Coleby-Davis also announced that BPL CEO Toni Pratt will lead an official delegation to Abaco to meet with on-island staff and coordinate support for the team in Grand Cay. “We remain deeply grateful to BPL’s teams for continued dedication to restoring electricity for consumers. However, this tragedy serves as a reminder that the safety and security of our employees must remain our highest priority,” the minister said.
Kirk Cornish, the Member of Parliament for North Abaco, echoed the national mood of mourning, remembering Cooper as a deeply dedicated public servant. “This tragedy was a solemn reminder of the risks faced by the men and women who work daily to keep the country’s electricity system running,” Cornish said. “As we mourn this heartbreaking loss, let us keep his family and all who knew and loved him in our thoughts and prayers.”
Cooper’s death marks the second fatal electrocution in the Bahamas in the span of just one month, and it comes amid a growing string of deadly workplace accidents across the country that have reignited widespread public concern over national industrial safety standards. Just one week prior to the Grand Cay incident, 68-year-old painter and contractor John Walkes was killed by electrocution while working at the Bimini Blue Water Marina, when he made accidental contact with energized high-voltage equipment.