The AX Files

Construction crew damages fiber optic cable, outage affects 100 customers

By: Accident admin

Plattsburgh, NY—12/7/12 A telecommunications outage—which lasted for several hours—affected service for about 100 customers. Technicians were sent out immediately to splice the 144 fibers back together. The company president shared that “Each fiber is about the width of a human hair. It’s a very precise remedial action that’s required, and it takes a highly skilled technician to do it.” Meanwhile, the company helped forward land-line calls to customers' cellphones. A few customers were even given cellphones temporarily by the company. The ...

Telecom

Construction crew severs fiber optic line, 911 call center affected

By: Accident admin

Hibbing, MN—12/6/12 A telecommunications crew worked quickly to repair phone and internet service after a fiber optic cable was severed by a construction crew. 911 calls were temporarily disabled and many homes affected. The communications company is currently working on a project to build a 400-mile fiber ring that will have redundant capability, lessening the risk of incidents like this in the future.

Power company hits 4″ gas main with auger, home explodes killing resident

By: Accident admin

Lewisville, TX—1/11/13 A 4-inch gas main leaked after the local power company struck it with an auger while working to replace a pole. As gas company personnel worked to repair the leak, a home close to the damaged line exploded. Still inside, the home’s resident died following the explosion. Firefighters had been notified by the power company immediately after the gas main was hit and firefighters were on the scene at the time of the explosion. Three homes downwind of the leak had been evacuated but the home that exploded was upwind of the leak.

Gas

Telecom contractor hits gas line, house explodes with 81 year-old woman trapped inside

By: Accident admin

Oklahoma City, OK—1/3/13 At 3:20 pm, a telecommunications contractor stuck a 2-inch gas line and then immediately contacted the gas company. Gas company crews arrived at 4:00 pm and a nearby home exploded about an hour later. Emergency personnel were not contacted until after the explosion. A 61-year old woman was inside the home at the time of the explosion. She was rescued from the home by a gas company worker. The woman’s daughter said her mother had asked the gas crew if she needed to evacuate and was told by the gas company that evacuation would not be necessary.

The AX Files

Construction crew damages fiber optic cable, outage affects 100 customers

Construction crew severs fiber optic line, 911 call center affected

Archive

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Power company hits 4″ gas main with auger, home explodes killing resident

Telecom contractor hits gas line, house explodes with 81 year-old woman trapped inside

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