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Eagle’s death causes power outage

Thousands of Salmon Arm residents were without power for about an hour on Monday night
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A bald eagle died Monday night, June 18, when it struck a BC Hydro line located at the Salmon Arm McDonald’s on the Trans-Canada Highway. The incident put some 10,700 area residents in the dark for close to one hour. (File photo)

A deadly mistake by a bald eagle left 10,700 Salmon Arm residents out of power on Monday night.

At 9:54 p.m. on June 18, the eagle flew into a live wire at the McDonald’s parking lot located on the Trans-Canada Highway and 30th Street NE.

BC Hydro rep Jen Walker Larsen says the incident triggered an automatic power outage, a safety feature designed to protect lives.

“We never know what it is until a crew gets there,” says Walker Larsen, who notes the utility did receive reports of a bird striking the wire. “We never know if it’s a car or a bird, and crews have to make sure it’s safe before they re-energize the lines.”

In this case, crews found the dead bird and restored power at 10:45 p.m.

Walker Larsen says BC Hydro’s environmental staff take the situation seriously and enter all incidents in a data base in order to spot problem areas.

There has never been another incident at the McDonald’s site but BC Hydro staff will keep an eye on the location and, if further wildlife encounters occur, will see what they need to do, says Walker Larsen.


@SalmonArm
lachlan@saobserver.net

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