A 51-year-old utility worker who was fatally electrocuted in a Peninsula Township accident Friday has been identified.

James Farrington of Alden worked for Consumers Energy and was killed in an accident on the job Friday morning on Old Mission Peninsula. The worker received an electric shock from a 7,200-volt line. "Farrington had been a journeyman lineworker since 2000 and joined Consumers Energy in January 2018 at our Cadillac Service Center," Consumers Energy said in a statement, releasing details about Farrington with the permission of his family. "He was recently transferred to our Traverse City Service Center. Prior to joining Consumers Energy, Mr. Farrington was a journeyman lineworker for 10 years with Traverse City Light & Power. He worked in the same capacity for the Lansing Board of Water and Light from 2000 to 2007."

After the accident, which occurred shortly before 11:30am Friday, Farrington was rushed to Munson Medical Center, where he was pronounced dead at 12:50pm. The accident is being investigated by the Michigan Occupational Safety and Health Administration (MIOSHA), as well as by Consumers Energy, which said it is "conducting a thorough investigation of the incident alongside state and local officials." 

"As we take the safety of our employees very seriously, the entire Consumers Energy family is grieving the loss of our coworker," the company stated. "We extend our deepest sympathies to his loved ones affected by the tragedy."