YOUNGSTOWN, Ohio (WKBN) — Downed power lines are extremely dangerous — they can carry between 10,000-100,000 volts of electricity.
“Stay far away from any downed or low-hanging power line and always assume any wire is energized and dangerous,” said Lauren Siburkis with FirstEnergy. “Never drive over a downed power line and keep children and pets far away.”
Employees from a business on East Midlothian Boulevard in Youngstown said a nearby line has been down for weeks.
Those same employees said they don’t believe anyone ever reported the down wire to the power company until a member of the First News team reported it on Sunday.
“There are some instances where a downed or low-hanging power line would not cause a power outage, so we wouldn’t know about the hazard unless it was reported to us,” Siburkis said in a statement. “It’s important to report them immediately by calling 911 to keep yourself and your community safe.”
“Fortunately, after further examination, this downed line appears to be a cable wire, which are lower voltage and are less likely to electrocute you.
But on this well-traveled strip of Midlothian, the downed cable is still a trip-hazard and does carry some electricity.