SPARK FROM POWER LINES CAUSES BRUSH FIRE, POWER OUTAGE IN WHITE TOWNSHIP

UPDATE: A spark from a power line caused a brush fire this afternoon in White Township.

Indiana Fire Association, Homer City and Creekside fire departments were dispatched at 12:43 this afternoon for the reported brush fire on Warren Road between Indian Springs Road/Ben Franklin Road intersection and Kacie Lane.  White Township resident Jim Wilson said that he was driving by the power line in his pickup truck when it started to spark.

Indiana assistant chief John Steigert said they were lucky that there was not a wire on the ground, and that about two acres were affected.  He added that with conditions ripe for brush fires again, this made it tough to fight.

No injuries were reported.  Penelec crews were on-scene to affect repairs.  It affected over 1100 REA Energy Cooperative members in White Township and over 1300 Penelec customers.

WHAT WE FIRST REPORTED:

First responders and crews from REA Energy are at work trying to restore power and put out a brush fire in White Township this afternoon.

Indiana Fire Association Company 1 was called out for a brush fire near the intersection of Warren Road and Kacie Lane at 12:43 PM.  Fire officials say it was due to a downed power line in the area, and with the ground still dry, conditions were ripe for a spark to set the grass on fire.

REA Energy’s outage map shows 1102 of its cooperative members without power as of 1:00 this afternoon.  Power is expected to be restored by 4:30 PM.

Penelec’s customers are not affected by the fire.