VANCOUVER — B.C. Hydro says an “extremely dangerous” act of vandalism with a chainsaw is blamed for a four-hour power failure in Port Coquitlam on Wednesday.
At around 4:30 a.m., a pair of power poles was cut down with a chainsaw, and a third pole was cut but remained held up by wires along railway tracks in Gates Park, according to B.C. Hydro.
The overhead power lines were brought down and an underground line was severed, causing more than 4,500 B.C. Hydro customers to lose power.
B.C. Hydro says the poles held three high-voltage lines, carrying 12,000 volts each.
“This could have seriously injured or killed a member of the public or our crews as they worked to make repairs,” B.C. Hydro said in a statement Thursday.
Crews made the area safe and restored power around 8 a.m. Repairs involved replacing the damaged poles and reconnecting the power lines.
B.C. Hydro says the motive for cutting the power lines is unknown.
Coquitlam RCMP are investigating.
