Transformer explodes! Parts of Viking without power on Easter

A large section of Viking was without power for a number of hours on Easter Sunday around noon.

The transformer on top of a power pole located near the RCMP detachment in the southwest corner of Viking exploded, falling to the ground and taking out the top portion of the pole (top left photo) and sending live power lines  to the ground.

Police and the local fire department were on the scene within minutes following the explosion and set up a barricade preventing access to the area. Crews from Fortis and Telus spent hours replacing the damaged pole and installing a new transformer.

Power was totally restored around 8 p.m. Sunday night. Nearby residents said when the transformer blew, the noise was deafening and frightening. Jennifer MacGowan, media contact with Fortis, told the Weekly Review that such power outages are common in the spring. For more see the April 23/14 issue of the Viking Weekly Review