A worker -- alone some 260 feet in the air -- suffered first- and second-degree burns when the wind turbine he was installing in northeast Nebraska caught fire after a small explosion, said Susan Olavarria, spokeswoman for Edison Mission Group, owner of the wind farm.

The worker climbed down on his own to receive aid.

The height of the tower is the equivalent of a 20- to 30-story building.

Two workers were on the ground when the employee was injured, Olavarria said. The injured worker was taken to nearby Bloomfield, Neb., and then flown to Mercy Medical Center in Sioux City, Iowa.

Olavarria could not provide further details on the worker's condition or identity. Nor could she confirm that the worker was a man.

The worker is an employee of Vestas, a wind turbine manufacturer. A spokesman with that company said the incident was under investigation and details would be provided when they became available.

Olavarria said the worker was outside the turbine in front of its nose when the explosion and fire occurred. It's not clear what caused the explosion or what burned, but the turbines do have lubricating oil inside, she said.

The Elkhorn Ridge wind farm has 27 turbines.

Olavarria said the wind farm was scheduled to go online at the end of this month, but work at the site has been suspended while the incident is investigated. She said she didn't know if that would affect the startup date.

The wind farm will sell its electricity to the Nebraska Public Power District.