Saturday, October 09, 2010

Squirrel Trouble

We were drinking coffee this morning when I the unmistakable grunting sound of high voltage and then a loud POP! The wind was still, in fact there was not a cloud in the sky but our power went off as it often does.
I put my sneakers on and walked out to the pole in front of our house and the little gray critter was still smoking.
I'm not sure how the squirrels do it, but they some how touch both the hot and the neutral wires simultaneously. It makes me sad when it happens but death is instant. It hits them so hard  I don't think they don't feel any pain....but I don't know that for sure.
Anyhow I called the power company and about an hour later, they sent a repairman to reset the fuse on the pole a few houses away and the lights came back on.
In the past, I've asked them to put some kind of insulators  to prevent this, but it hasn't happened yet.
RIP little squirrel.

4 comments:

  1. That happened at the condo building. It knocked out power for 4 blocks. I walked the dog by the pole right after it happened and I had to hold her leash away because she wanted the squirrel!

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  2. The same thing sometimes happens with birds. If it happens in a substation it can sound almost like a war starting. Sometimes it can cause significant damage, depending on circumstances and other factors such as weather, time of day, etc.

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  3. awww poor little bugger

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  4. What a sad beginning to the day! I hope you gave the little guy a decent burial

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