Three vandal attacks in a matter of days on Nottinghamshire power cables left thousands of people without electricity and could have caused serious injury or death, according to Central Networks.
The first attack was near Clay Lane in Newark, where engineers discovered that someone had thrown a set of bicycle handlebars and a candlestick holder into 11,000 volt overhead lines.
More than 2,100 homes and businesses lost power for an hour and a half as engineers worked to make the lines safe again.
Also, children in Thoresby-Warsop were seen by neighbours throwing tree branches across the 33kv power lines. They were later chased off by Central Networks engineers who spotted them attacking a transformer connected to the 11,000 volt network.
And, in the latest incident, almost 900 customers lost power in the same area on Monday of this week, when sticks were thrown at the overhead line.
As well as the inconvenience to customers, the vandals targeted high voltage power cables which could have caused truly terrifying - and life-threatening - short circuits.
Phil Wilson, Customer Operations Manager with Central Networks, said: "Whether these incidents were childish, schoolboy pranks or something more sinister, such as somebody trying to steal the cabling, we don't know but it was clearly a hugely dangerous thing to do.
"The message is simple - power lines can kill, stay away from them."
(CD/JM)
Time and date
CONSTRUCTION DIRECTORY
Construction News
24/04/2008
Vandal Attacks On Power Cables Leave Thousands Without Electricity
Latest Construction News
25/11/2024
Estilo Interiors has been selected to help Bruntwood SciTech as they invest a further £2.4 million into Birmingham as part of a plan to transform its Mclaren innovation hub. The project, located less than five minutes' walk from the future HS2 Curzon Street Station, will involve the building ...
25/11/2024
Cambridge Investment Partnership (CIP) has reached a significant milestone at Aylesborough Close in Arbury, with the completion of a topping-out ceremony. CIP board members, ward councillors, One Public Estate, Homes England and the CIP team gathered to lay the final brick at the highest point of ...
25/11/2024
Lovell has appointed Nicola Colley as head of land in the West Midlands, boosting the business' expertise in land opportunities. Having previously worked at Lovell for 12 years, Nicola has returned to a brand-new role at the national housebuilder, bringing with her experience from Taylor Wimpey ...
25/11/2024
Stepnell has commenced enabling works for a significant £9 million refurbishment of the Grade II listed Town Hall in Hugh Town, located on St Mary's in the Isles of Scilly. Spearheaded by the Council of the Isles of Scilly in partnership with Scilly Arts & Heritage, the project marks a pivotal ...
25/11/2024
Morgan Sindall Construction has successfully completed the restoration of West Bromwich Town Hall and Library, restoring the significant building to its former glory for the community to enjoy. Prior to the project's handover, Morgan Sindall gave a presentation to the SMBC Members and Town ...
25/11/2024
Persimmon Homes Severn Valley has donated 10,000 bricks to AccXel, the Construction Skills Accelerator Centre in Cinderford. The contribution will enable students at the Gloucestershire-based facility to gain hands-on experience and develop essential skills for the construction industry. The ...
25/11/2024
Nearly a year after work began, significant progress is being made at Huddersfield station as part of the Transpennine Route Upgrade (TRU). This transformative project aims to modernise the key northern transport hub while preserving its rich heritage as a Grade I listed building. One of the ...
25/11/2024
Renovating a property can be a challenging and complex process, especially when integrating new and existing building elements. At R Elliott Associates Ltd, we specialise in helping clients navigate these challenges by providing expert planning, design, and support to pre-empt any potential ...
25/11/2024
Northumbrian Water has announced a significant investment of £3.5 million at its Great Ayton Sewage Treatment Works (STW) to enhance its capacity to manage stormwater. The project involves the installation of a new storm tank capable of holding up to 317 cubic meters of combined rainwater and ...
25/11/2024
Balfour Beatty Flannery, a partnership between Balfour Beatty and Flannery Plant Hire, has trained its 1,000th student at its Operator Skills Hub. With over 250,000 additional workers needed in the construction industry by 2028, Balfour Beatty Flannery's Operator Skills Hub is key in addressing ...