Six thousand people in Surrey were left without electricity after power poles carrying high-voltage transmission lines were cut down with a chainsaw overnight.
BC Hydro says four poles, carrying a 60,000-volt transmission line running through the Green Timbers area of Surrey, were cut down.
It happened around 1 a.m., leaving thousands without power in Whalley.
BC Hydro says it’s extremely concerned about the vandalism because, in additional to transmission lines, the poles carried two sets of high-voltage distribution circuits.
“This could have injured or killed a member of the public or our crews as BC Hydro worked to make repairs,” said the corporation in a press release.
Power to most customers was restored by around 4 a.m., but extensive repairs are required. A crew of 12 people is working on replacing the damaged poles and transferring the conductors and circuits to new poles, which could take until later today to complete.
The RCMP are investigating the incident.
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