BC Hydro is reminding the public to report any suspicious activity around power poles after thieves chopped down two power poles in Surrey on Sunday, rising death or serious injury.
Thieves used chainsaws to cut down power poles on two separate properties in the city to strip copper from the transformers, according to a press release.
In one case, the electrical equipment attached to the pole was de-energized, but the other one was live, with 25,000 volts of electricity running through it when it was cut down, sparking a grass fire.
A member of the public or a BC Hydro employee could have been killed or injured, leading the power company to issue the following public safety tips:
- -Assume any downed power line is dangerous, and should be treated as an emergency.
- Stay back at least 10 metres, which is about the length of a bus, and dial 911 immediately.
BC Hydro is working with the Surrey RCMP to investigate the Aug. 28 incidents.
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