A tree uprooted itself Tuesday morning and was perched precariously on utility lines, causing emergency and B.C. Hydro crews to ponder its removal.
The tree came down on Sooke Road in Colwood, near the Veterans Memorial Parkway intersection. Sooke Road was closed between that intersection and Jadel Road (near Metchosin Road) for roughly two hours while crews dealt with the tree.
B.C. Hydro responded to the call with two crews of two people, while a local tree service company also assisted. West Shore RCMP, the Colwood Fire Department and Colwood municipal officials were also on scene.
“(Hydro crews) do carry chainsaws in their trucks for those situations,” said Hydro spokesperson Karla Louwers. “The weight of (the tree) was on other utilities.”
She said crews responded because Hydro’s infrastructure was at risk and it was a matter of public safety. “The top of the tree was in contact and could potentially pull down our lines.”
Crew members suspected the tree came down because its root system was compromised, Louwers said, possibly by root rot.
While the crews removed the tree, she said, there was a 20-minute power outage that affected approximately 2,200 customers.
The road closure also caused some traffic and transit disruptions.
katie@goldstreamgazette.com
