Injury caused by contact with electricity. Sources of electricity that can cause burns when an unprotected portion of a person’s body comes in contact with them include power lines, lightning, defective household electrical equipment, and unprotected electrical outlets. As electrical current goes into the body, it is converted to heat that can cause extensive damage to blood vessels, nerves, bone, and muscle. The severity of an electrical burn depends on how long the body is in contact with the source of electricity, the type and strength of the electrical current involved, and the direction the electricity takes through the body.