Pentagon: 16 soldiers died from electric shock

Most of the 11 Army soldiers and five Marines died during their work, including making accidental contact with power lines or those killed while performing maintenance on electrical systems, the Pentagon said. But two died while in their living facilities, including at least one soldier who was electrocuted while he took a shower.

The disclosure came after KBR Inc. Chief Executive William Utt met with Sen. Bob Casey, D-Pa., on Capitol Hill Friday to discuss allegations that soldiers died from electrocutions caused by faulty wiring at U.S. facilities run by the contractor.

Earlier this month, Gen. David Petraeus, the top commander in Iraq, said 13 Americans had died from electrocution in Iraq. Petraeus ordered a safety review of all facilities in Iraq occupied by U.S. troops and the Pentagon's inspector general is reviewing the deaths.

Casey said there have also been dozens of injuries and hundreds of fires from faulty electrical work and that there have been reports of problems with people being shocked as recently as three weeks ago. But Casey and Rep. Jason Altmire, D.-Pa., who also attended the meeting with KBR officials, said it remains unclear whether it is the military or the contractor that bears responsibility.

"It leads to hundreds and hundreds of questions that Congress must ask," Casey said.

Houston-based KBR has said it has not found a link between electrical work it did and the electrocutions. The company holds a multibillion dollar contract to provide basic services at thousands of buildings in Iraq.

In a statement, Utt reiterated that the company is not responsible for the deaths, and that it "remains committed to fully cooperating with the government on this issue." He also told Casey that a February 2007 change in the company's contract limited its duties for performing electrical maintenance and repairs.

At a hearing earlier this month, former KBR electricians said KBR employees with little electrical experience supervised work done by subcontractors and foreign electricians who could not speak English. Company electricians who raised doubts about the work were allegedly fired.

A list compiled by Casey's office details reports of electrocution deaths that included vehicles touching live wires, a solider killed while swimming and another who died while power-washing a Humvee. KBR told Casey Friday that it counted 15 electrocution deaths, basing its estimate on press reports.