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Power outage in Woodstock
A telephone pole caught fire and knocked-out power in Woodstock Sunday evening, April 26, for 90 customers.
The pole caught fire at the corner of 160th Ave. and 121st St. in Woodstock. The outage lasted from 9 to 10:15 p.m., according to Tom Hoen, a spokesperson for Xcel Energy.
Telephone pole fires are common when springtime conditions turn misty, according to Jim Clark, principal manager for Excel Energy out of Sioux Falls.
Clark said that over the winter, grit can develop between the white and gray porcelain insulators and the telephone pole. In the spring, when it’s misting outside, the electricity will actually track to the pole, causing the ignition.
“I’m 99.9 percent sure that’s what caused the fire,” in the Woodstock pole, Clark said.
Hard rains, which flush out the grit, will eliminate the hazard, Clark said.
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