python 3 parse badly encoded excel sheet

xlswithxmlparser.py

# Solution inspired by https://stackoverflow.com/a/33504236/2020801
from xml.sax import ContentHandler, parseString

class ExcelHandler(ContentHandler):
    def __init__(self):
        self.chars = []
        self.cells = []
        self.rows = []
        self.table = []
        self.sheet_name = None
        self.worksheets = {}

    def characters(self, content):
        self.chars.append(content)

    def startElement(self, name, attrs):
        if name == "ss:Cell":
            self.chars = []
        elif name == "ss:Row":
            self.cells = []
        elif name == "ss:Table":
            self.rows = []
        elif name == "ss:Worksheet":
            self.table = []
            self.sheet_name = attrs.getValue("ss:Name")

    def endElement(self, name):
        if name == "ss:Cell":
            self.cells.append(''.join(self.chars))
        elif name == "ss:Row":
            self.rows.append(self.cells)
        elif name == "ss:Table":
            self.table.append(self.rows)
        elif name == "ss:Worksheet":
            self.worksheets[self.sheet_name] = self.table
            self.sheet_name = None
# Usage:
# 1. the file is corrupt in that it has two BOM characters instead of the expected one.
# by specifying encoding we'll at least get rid of one. The parser will be able to disregard the remaining one.
f = open('iShares-Russell-2000-ETF_fund.xls', encoding='utf-8-sig')
s = f.read()

# 2. instantiate parser handler and parse string
excel_handler = ExcelHandler()
parseString(s, excel_handler)

# 3. access data saved on handler after parsing.

# table in the worksheet with name 'Performance'
# NB: worksheets is a dict unlike in previous versions
table = excel_handler.worksheets['Performance']

# contents of second row, third cell
text_in_cell = table[1][2]