Power Outage and Brush Fire
By: Ben Manning
Updated: April 15, 2010
EBENSBURG, CAMBRIA COUNTY - A downed power line in Cambria County causes two brush fires and knocks out power to more than a thousand people.
The fire started at 3:30 Wednesday afternoon in between the Cambria County Prison and the Cambria Care Center, which used to be Laurel Crest. The power line above the road snapped and half of it went in each direction starting two separate fires and one end wrapped itself around the guard rail sending an electric charge through the whole thing.
That electricity kept fire fighters from doing their job until Penelec got on the scene and killed the power. The fire burned through about nine acres of brush. Dauntless Fire Company Captain Ryan Kaza says that adds another danger for fire fighters.
The downed lines knocked out power to 1,087 homes in Ebensburg. It didn't bother the Eckenrod's they decided to enjoy the nice weather and take a walk. But the power outage closed down the Pizza Hut, and Sheetz had to turn away folks looking for gas.
Penelec got the power for everyone back on at 8:15. They don't know exactly what caused the power line to snap, so they're calling it an equipment failure.
The fire started at 3:30 Wednesday afternoon in between the Cambria County Prison and the Cambria Care Center, which used to be Laurel Crest. The power line above the road snapped and half of it went in each direction starting two separate fires and one end wrapped itself around the guard rail sending an electric charge through the whole thing.
That electricity kept fire fighters from doing their job until Penelec got on the scene and killed the power. The fire burned through about nine acres of brush. Dauntless Fire Company Captain Ryan Kaza says that adds another danger for fire fighters.
The downed lines knocked out power to 1,087 homes in Ebensburg. It didn't bother the Eckenrod's they decided to enjoy the nice weather and take a walk. But the power outage closed down the Pizza Hut, and Sheetz had to turn away folks looking for gas.
Penelec got the power for everyone back on at 8:15. They don't know exactly what caused the power line to snap, so they're calling it an equipment failure.
