UPDATED: Truck takes out utility poles in Kelowna’s Lower Mission

KELOWNA – A truck equipped with a boom took out a number of utility poles in the Lower Mission area of Kelowna Thursday afternoon.

The truck’s driver Mike Gates, with Okanagan Tree Sales, says wires were lower than they should have been.

“We snagged them and snapped a couple poles and pulled a bunch of wires down,” says Gates.

Tweet This Click to share quote on Twitter: "We snagged them and snapped a couple poles and pulled a bunch of wires down," says Gates.

The incident happened near the intersection of Gordon Drive and Old Meadows Road.

“There is no risk to the residents in the area as the lines knocked down are not believed to be electrical lines, but phone and cable lines,” says Cst. Jesse O’Donaghey of the Kelowna RCMP.

Tweet This Click to share quote on Twitter: "There is no risk to the residents in the area as the lines knocked down are not believed to be electrical lines, but phone and cable lines," says Cst. Jesse O'Donaghey of the Kelowna RCMP.

While the situation may not be dangerous, the incident is causing traffic headaches.

RCMP say some roads in the area were closed for a time.

The RCMP are also directing those picking up students from Dorothea Walker Elementary to use Lakeshore Road and Dehart Road.

“Police will establish a circular route for guardians to safely enter the school zone area to pick up children and leave. RCMP will be in the area for traffic control,” says O’Donaghey.

– With files from Angela Jung