1,000 Spencer, East Spencer homes and businesses lose power Tuesday

Tuesday, June 16, 2009 11:50 PM  |  Printer friendly version | E-mail to a friend |

By Steve Huffman

shuffman@salisburypost.com

SPENCER — A downed power line and a blown transformer resulted in a cut of electricity to about 1,000 homes and businesses in Spencer and East Spencer Tuesday morning.

Spencer Police Chief Robert Bennett said one of his officers, Tony Hinson, discovered the downed line at the intersection of Fourth Street and Rowan Avenue. Power was out in surrounding neighborhoods for several hours.

Bennett said the downed line was not caused by a vehicle striking a telephone line.

"Apparently, it just came down," he said.

That wasn't the only problem that affected electrical service to local residents. Bennett said a blown transformer in East Spencer also resulted in electricity being cut to some Spencer businesses and homes.

In East Spencer, Town Administrator Donnie Jones said power was cut to some homes on the northern side of town. He said he didn't know the number.

Greg Efthimiou, a spokesman for Duke Energy, said he wasn't familiar with the power line that came down in Spencer, but he said such incidents are typically related to storms or problems with branches falling across lines.

"They're usually weather-related, or caused by accident or age," he said of downed lines.

Efthimiou said residents shouldn't worry about power lines falling on them or their vehicles. "We do usual condition checks," he said.