POTTSTOWN PA – Electrical power was out for about three hours Monday night (Dec. 15, 2011) across a wide swath of homes and businesses on Lower Pottsgrove (PA) Township’s east side, after an automobile accident occurred shortly after 5 p.m. on North Charlotte Street between Keim Street and Bleim Road.
A car hit and sheared a utility pole in two in the accident, downing it and accompanying wires. Montgomery County emergency dispatchers sent apparatus from the Ringing Hill Fire Company and other first responders to the scene. Reports indicate the driver of the overturned vehicle was not seriously injured.
A Metropolitan Edison spokeswoman said its crews worked to switch service as quickly as possible from one series of lines to another to restore electrical power in affected locations, and then could take even more time to clear and replace the damaged pole. Several housing communities along North Pleasant View and North Sanatoga roads were without power, and the normally well-lit exterior of the Buchert Road municipal building was dark.
Portions of Upper Pottsgrove Township also were said to be affected.
Other coverage:
Photo from Ringing Hill Fire Company
We seem to be having a rash of Pole hits.
MET-ED was pretty good in repairing this as quickly and safely as possible. It was a pain and the cold weather outside made me worry about how long it might be. They quickly determined about 8:30 ad it was actually on a few minuets before that time.
MET-ED would do themselves a favor in surveying their poles and trying to shield the most vulnerable from damage.
Woodgate is on a single line feed and perhaps they could consider an alternate parallel routing to increase reliability.