BRIDGEWATER, Maine — The Bridgewater Fire Department responded to an electrical transformer fire near a residence at 114 Bootfoot Road on Wednesday afternoon, Sept. 26.
Matthew Powers, BFD training officer, said Thursday that a tree fell across the high-voltage power lines, snapping one of the lines in two and sending it to the ground.
No injuries resulted from the incident, which occurred at 3:45 p.m., he said.
When fire crews arrived, the transformer was no longer on fire but the high voltage line was on the ground, arcing within feet of a home, according to a press release Powers issued earlier Thursday. The 10-man fire crew shut down the road, and assisted the resident of the home out of a side window.
Firefighters had recently taken a class in electrical safety training for emergency responders and knew that until utility workers verified the power was out, they could only maintain a safety perimeter around the scene, he said in the press statement.
Two electrical crews arrived within 20 minutes and quickly worked to turn off the power. They then cleared the debris and re-establish electrical service.
Powers added the Bridgewater Fire Department wants to remind everyone that downed power lines pose a very real, dangerous risk that is invisible, and only trained professionals with specialized skills and monitoring equipment are capable of working in this hazardous environment.
