A transformer caught fire on a hydro pole on Oakwood Road on Good Friday, knocking out phone service to some Bell customers in the west end of Fort Frances, and elsewhere in the district, for one-two days.
The Fort Frances Fire Department responded to the call at 10:35 a.m. Once they got there, however, they determined it was in the Alberton Fire Department’s jurisdiction and had them respond to it.
But town firefighters remained at the scene on standby for public safety reasons.
Fort Frances Fire Chief Steve Richardson noted that because the pole is energized, firefighters often can’t put it out right away because of possible electrical issues, and had to wait for Ontario Hydro to check out the pole.
The fire department remains on scene to ensure no fire spreads from the hydro pole and none of the public gets too close to it.
Exactly how many district residents lost service could not be determined since Bell Canada offices were closed Easter Monday.
Meanwhile, there were four call-outs for district grass fires over the Easter weekend, said Chief Richardson, noting one was in Alberton, one in Emo, and two in Chapple.
These were all classed as “minor” blazes.
Chief Richardson stressed the public has to be especially cautious with fire at this time of year.
“With the dry weather we’ve been having and the winds, if you’re doing any burning, ensure that you’ve checked with your municipality and have a burning permit,” he remarked.
“Make sure you’re burning within the guidelines of those permits, which in most municipalities is two hours before sunset or up to two hours after sunrise.
“And make sure you have enough people on the scene and have extinguishing equipment,” he added. “In the unorganized areas, make sure you’ve obtained a permit from the Ministry of Natural Resources.”
Fort Frances Times
Local News from Across the Rainy River District
