SUBSCRIBE TO TMCnet
TMCnet - World's Largest Communications and Technology Community

CHANNEL BY TOPICS


QUICK LINKS




Power Protection: One-Car Accident Leaves Thousands in the Dark

Power Protection FEATURED ARTICLE

Power Protection: One-Car Accident Leaves Thousands in the Dark

 
May 09, 2012

Share
Tweet
  By Carrie Majewski (née Schmelkin), Director of Content Marketing, Content Boost

It would seem that uptime really is a tricky business these days from snakes to disgruntled employees to construction projects gone awry causing thousands to be without power at any given moment. And today citizens of a Philadelphia suburb were the ones left in the dark thanks to a one-car accident that resulted in a major power outage.


Today, 5,000 customers were without power after a car hit a pole at an intersection which caused multiple live overhead power lines on the road to fall, according to PECO (News - Alert) Energy Spokeswoman Liz Williamson. The traffic accident also resulted in damage to neighboring areas. About half of the affected residents had their power restored within an hour, and the remaining residents were restored shortly after that. No one was injured as a result of the fallen power line, according to Williamson, and PECO workers replaced the wires and poles.

Power outages that are caused by traffic accidents are not that uncommon, according to reports. In fact, just a few weeks ago, a car crash in Bristol, N.H., left three dead and thousands without power. According to the Bristol Fire Department, the crash happened at about 11 p.m. on Lake Street, which is also known as Route 3A, near Deangelo Drive.

Reports suggested that a car crashed into a power pole which caused the pole to snap and wires to drape across the road. While officers are working to reconstruct the accident to determine what caused it, they are certain that all three drivers were without seatbelts and that speed was most likely a factor. Power crews worked feverishly in few hours to restore power to the area and crews were sent to the scene to fix the pole and restore power.

Although it might seem unlikely that car crashes can be prime suspects for power outages, according to Minuteman UPS/Para Systems (News - Alert)  – a provider of power protection technologies – traffic accidents are one of the top five unexpected ways that residents and businesses can find themselves in the dark. According to Duston Nixon, marketing communications specialist for Minuteman, if even just one car leaves the roadway because of an accident, this can wreak havoc on the power system. Specifically, in 2009, there were more than 5.5 million car accidents in the United States – or one every 5.7 seconds. The close proximity of utility power equipment to roadways, particularly in cities, leaves business owners very vulnerable, Nixon said.

“Administrators often think of the obvious causes of power outages, which include natural disasters such as lightning, high winds, and earthquakes, when constructing a disaster plan,” Nixon told TMCnet. “While these events usually take the forefront both in people’s minds and in the media, other less expected factors can lead to outages.”

For more on unexpected ways that can cause you to lose power, click here.




Edited by Amanda Ciccatelli
Power Protection Homepage ››





Technology Marketing Corporation

2 Trap Falls Road Suite 106, Shelton, CT 06484 USA
Ph: +1-203-852-6800, 800-243-6002

General comments: [email protected].
Comments about this site: [email protected].

STAY CURRENT YOUR WAY

© 2024 Technology Marketing Corporation. All rights reserved | Privacy Policy