Six people, including five children, had to flee their Penhold home when a nearby power pole started smoking.
“The woman saw the power pole smoking and there was a big flash and the power lines came down,” said Penhold fire chief Jim Pendergast.
The incident happened about 9:20 a.m. on Thursday
Inside the home, residents could smell smoke and electrical arcing appeared to cause some minor damage to an electrical panel.
“Crews went in and checked all the outlets and the electrical panel using a thermal imaging camera, which can detect hot spots even inside walls and electrical equipment,” said Pendergast.
Fortis crews later arrived to ensure everything was safe and to repair the line. Power to the home was expected to be restored on Thursday afternoon.
Pendergast said the occupants were allowed to return home to keep warm once it was safe. The resident was told to call in an electrician.
“The occupant of the home did the absolute right thing by keeping the children safe and calling 911.”