GARDNER, Mass. -- On the job as a prison guard, Michael Barrette said he was struck by lightning -- not once, but twice.

Team 5's Rhondella Richardson reported that the state is cutting off his pay, claiming the second incident never happened.

"All of a sudden the lights went down, and all of a sudden I felt a burn," said Department of Corrections Sgt. Michael Barrette.

On May 24, 2004, Barrette was struck by lighting and his hand went numb. He went out on temporary disability.

"I would have figured if you get injured once that someone might check and see so it doesn't happen again," said Barrette.

But a year later on July 18, it was another stormy night at the North Central Correctional Institution in Gardner and Barrette was back at work in the same prison office.

"I just felt like something hit me in the shoulder, like a sledgehammer," said Barrette.

Barrette said he was struck by lightning again. He said he can barely move his right arm and is in pain up to his shoulder. But the Department of Corrections said the second lightning strike never happened.

But Team 5 learned the prison's own maintenance report released a week after the alleged second strike says, "the fire box" in Barrette's office had "faulty wiring" that essentially created a hot-zone for every thunderstorm.

"They already knew and this other report reported that there was sparks coming out of this piece of equipment during lightning storms," Barrette said.

Barrette said negligence nearly cost him his life, and without a paycheck, it may cost his family their home.

After the first incident Barrette received incident reports that included witness statements and the litigations issues report in which the state said it "does not contest the claim." After the second incident, Barrette said he has had to fight tooth-and-nail for any part of the paper trail.

"I believe they knew there was a problem and be it the expense to fix it or what the reason, they didn't," said Barrette's wife, Lori.

The DOC backed out of an interview with Team 5, citing the family's pending lawsuit for workers compensation. However in a statement, the department contradicted itself referencing "the second incident" and "consequent mandatory evacuations" from Barrette's work area during storms for nearly an entire year until the firebox was replaced at a cost of more than $17,000.

"Why would you change everything out now if there's nothing wrong? " Barrette said.

"It's like a giant area rug and people keep sweeping stuff under it," Lori Barrette said.

"Repairs were made as a result of the second strike. Burned out batteries that were destroyed had to be replaced. The arrestor that is supposed to stop lightning from coming into the facility had to be replaced because it was inadequate," said Lt. Steve Kenneway, president of the Massachusetts Correctional Officers Federated Union.

"If things are fixed great, but they should have been fixed before Michael was hit," Lori Barrette said.

Barrette said he has been forced to hang up his uniform. The family is guarding its future and working to make the state accountable.

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