Fire and Six Hour Power Outage At Sweetwater and Laketown

Chris S. Coray, Reporter

Reporter, Rich Civic Times 

Photo by Steve Larsen

GARDEN CITY, Utah. April 14, 2015, the Bear Lake Valley experienced very strong south winds for much of the morning and afternoon.  About 1:55 p.m. the wind became strong enough to snap two adjacent poles in half about 8 feet above ground carrying the major Rocky Mountain Power transmission lines, along a line adjacent to the south end of Cherimoya.  These lines carry more than 12,000 volts of electricity and when the lines fell a fire was started near the houses in Cherimoya.  The fire department arrived within 5 minutes and controlled the fire but could not finish the job until the transmission lines could be determined to be safe.  When that event happened, the fire department completed the task of putting out the residue of the fire. 

Photos by Joe Stocking

Power to Sweetwater, Round Valley, and Laketown was interrupted for about 6 hours until approximately 8 p.m. The power work, led by Lance Bourne, Rocky Mountain Power, included the installation of two new power poles and accompanying connections, finishing just before dark.