Union fuming after firefighter shocked by 'stray current' in Sydney Metro

A firefighter received an electric shocked yesterday during safety tests of the Sydney Metro, leading to concerns from the union over the safety of the railway.

A firefighter was shocked during a real-life testing scenario of an "uncontrolled evacuation" at Barangaroo Station yesterday, when he was shocked by what Sydney Metro has described as a "stray current."

The Fire Brigade Employees Union (FBEU) and Fire and Rescue NSW (FRNSW) had performed three previous safety tests before the firefighter was zapped.

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The FBEU said the Sydney Metro delays were due to an 11-page document detailing unresolved safety issues in the tunnel, documented by FRNSw in mid-July.

FBEU State Secretary Leighton Drury said only 10 of the safety issues listed on the 11-page document have been fixed.

"A firefighter that is usually out saving lives was attended to by paramedics yesterday after receiving a shock which Sydney Metro has explained as a 'stray current'", Drury said.

"But we're not about to toy with firefighters and the general public's lives because this project is late due to [the previous government's] failure to address these problems years ago."

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The union also said stray electrical currents are a "clear and serious" danger to firefighters as they enter emergency situations with ladders and water.

"We will not be sending firefighters into this situation until we have a report from an electrical engineer explaining how this occurred and how it can be ruled out in future," Drury said.