By Patrick Tepoorten

A brief power outage affected 673 East Central Energy customers on Monday, largely on the west side of I-35 heading south toward Stacy and north toward Harris.

According to ECE Communications Manager Tony Minnichsoffer, a large tree located roughly two miles south of the North Branch substation was the culprit. ìA large dead pine fell on a three-phase line in Lent Twsp. and opened the breaker at the substation,î he said on Tuesday. The damage to the line occurred at approximately 6:57 p.m.

Workers were able to get the tree removed, repair the line and had power restored by 8:30 p.m.

Minnichsoffer noted that, with storm season approaching rapidly, damaged and downed lines are always a possibility, and gave some safety advice. ìItís really important that people respect downed lines,î he said.

The proper way to move away from downed lines is to keep your feet together and shuffle slowly away, always keeping your feet in contact with the ground. Large, quick steps increase the possibility of hitting a hot spot.

If the lines are encountered while in a vehicle, do not drive over the lines. If approaching downed lines, stop, backup slowly, and turn around. If possible warn other drivers of the upcoming hazard.

Drivers who find themselves in a situation where lines are draped across the vehicle, are advised to stay in their car and await assistance if at all possible.

In general, Minnichsoffer reminds that, in all cases, people should give downed power lines a wide berth.

For more information on how to act around downed lines, or to report an outage, call ECE at 1-800-254-7944.