An explosion on a power line was the source of a fire on Saturday the 4th of February at night in Park-Extension according to CTV News. More than 1,500 Hydro-Quebec customers are still without power in Montreal the next day, and more than 2,500 others were also plunged into darkness in the rest of the province, Sunday evening
Of the 47 service interruptions in the metropolis, four were in the Parc-Extension sector where Daniella Zanetti saw an explosion on a power line which was the source of a fire on Saturday night. “At the time of filming, the firefighters were already there and they were looking for a way to reach the driveway because of the snow, said Ms. Zanetti. We still don’t have power.”
According to Hydro-Quebec, the explosion probably occurred due to a melted conductor following the high demand for electricity during the intense cold. Quebecers beat the electricity consumption record during the period of extreme cold which started on Friday the 3d and ended on Saturday the 4th of February.
“There can always be faulty, damaged equipment and equipment has a certain lifespan, after which it is more likely to break,” said spokesperson Jonathan Côté. The situation forced Quebec to buy electricity from Ontario and New York State.
The borough of Villeray-Saint-Michel-Parc-Extension opened a heated area to accommodate residents that were left without heating at Patro Villeray Leisure and mutual aid center located at 7355 av. Christophe-Colomb, between Everett and Jean-Talon streets.
At the time of this report on the 7th of February 72 residents on Park Avenue street had no power due to Hydro Quebec’s equipment failure.
City councilor Mary Deros said that when the power outage happened, 31 police officers went door to door to check up on people and inform them that the William Hingston library was open for them if they could not stay at their homes.
Sources: CTV news, Hydro-Quebec
