The Reminder is making its archives back to 2003 available on our website. Please note that, due to technical limitations, archive articles are presented without the usual formatting.
Jonathon Naylor Editor A few hundred residents were without electricity Wednesday morning after a power pole off of Prince Charles Place caught fire. Manitoba Hydro spokesperson Scott Powell said some 400 customers in the Willowvale area lost power at about 9:24 a.m. Power was restored shortly before 11 a.m. after crews performed an interim repair, he said. Powell said the top of the pole caught fire but, contrary to rumours swirling Wednesday morning, it was not the result of a lightning strike. He said dust or dirt will sometimes build up on an insulator, cover switch or fuse on a pole. In high humidity or following light rain, the electricity can then cross over to the pole itself, igniting a fire. Since Wednesday's repairs were only interim, permanent repairs were to be completed at a later date. Customers will not be affected.
