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Commercial Truck Knocks Out Cumberland Powerlines

TruckAcc1

Cumberland County, TN (July 15, 2020) An accident involving a trailer occurred on July 15th in eastern Cumberland County that resulted in loss of power in the area for many. Tennessee Highway Patrol reports that a 2005 Kenworth Conventional truck turned into the Westel Fire Hall parking lot off Highway 70. The vehicle became trapped in cable and telephone lines, tore them down, and broke three utility poles. The top of the truck’s sleep section experienced burn marks from the live power lines. The electricity was turned off in the area, and the driver fortunately was not injured. The road where the accident occurred was blocked for several hours.

Tennessee Valley Authority’s transmission systems include power lines with 161,000 volts of electricity on each wire as well as many lines operating at 500,000. As a result, collisions with these lines are often deadly.

The Causes of Power Line Accidents

Power line accidents occur for various reasons, but some of the most common include:

  • Code violations. There are complex codes designed to decrease the risk of serious accidents and injuries. Not all workers, however, remember to perfectly follow these codes.
  • Errors by contractors and/or utility workers. If workers leave a fuse open and the fuse later gets energized, the wire will become live and can seriously harm people. This just one of many errors that contractors and utility workers make.
  • Many utility companies are charged with maintaining power box safety. These precautions are necessary to make sure that others cannot access the power box. Negligence regarding power lines can occur in many other ways as well.

Contact a Tennessee Truck Accident Attorney

Facing the aftermath of an accident alone can be scary. Fortunately, the assistance of a skilled accident lawyer can help. Contact Fox, Farley, Willis & Burnette today to schedule a free case evaluation.

Note: This post was written based on available resources, news stories, and online reports about this incident. As is often the case with fast breaking news, there is always the risk that some details are still being shared and uncovered. Please contact us if you notice any information that should be changed or added. Thanks!

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