Thousands of dollars in damage after power outages destroy appliances in Arnprior, Ont.
Dozens of homes in a newly built subdivision in Arnprior have thousands of dollars worth of damage after multiple power outages fried their household appliances.
Everyone in the Marshall's Bay Meadows subdivision off Madawaska Boulevard moved in less than a year ago. Resident Mike Newton says he has lost several appliances.
"We've lost our furnace, our air conditioning, our dishwasher, and some minor lighting in the house," Newton tells CTV News.
"I've heard people have lost as much as their hot tubs and fridges, so there's been some significant damage done to people's property."
At least three town-wide power outages took place in Arnprior between Sunday evening and Monday evening.
Many in the area are pointing to a potential explosion on a nearby power pole. First-time homeowner Jake Dunn has his property back onto Madawaska Boulevard where the hydro poles are located.
"It sounded like two shotgun blasts went off," Dunn recalls. "The power went off once, came back on, went off again, and then I looked out my back window and it looked like a firework went off over one of the hydro lines. There was sparks flying everywhere."
Dunn is in a similar situation as Newton, his furnace and air conditioner have been fried.
"When I called yesterday to schedule the appointment they said that I was about the 37th house in the neighbourhood that was experiencing this problem," says Dunn.
"It's a brand new neighbourhood, shouldn't really be something we have to worry about."
Homeowners are being told to have their appliances reimbursed through insurance, with the power outages and surge being labelled an act of God.
Questions are now being raised after the town lost power three times within twenty-four hours.
"The town is a customer of Hydro One, just like everyone else who is here," says councillor Lisa McGee.
"It's near impossible to come up with any solutions without understanding what it is that happened in the first place."
In a statement to CTV News, Hydro One says the power outage Sunday night affecting approximately 7,090 people was due to a broken crossarm on a main power line.
An outage on Monday afternoon affecting approximately 12,380 people is still under investigation.
Newton says he was told repairs of his appliances could take weeks, replacements even longer.
"I've lived in Pakenham, Almonte, and Braeside," he says, "and I haven't had outages like this."
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
Spectacular aurora light show to be seen across Canada Friday night
A rare and severe solar storm is expected to bring spectacular displays of the northern lights, also known as aurora borealis, across much of Canada and parts of the United States on Friday night.
Which Canadian cities have the highest and lowest grocery prices?
Where you live plays a big factor in what you pay at the grocery store. And while it's no secret the same item may have a different price depending on the store, city or province, we wanted to see just how big the differences are, and why.
McGill University seeks emergency injunction to dismantle pro-Palestinian encampment
McGill University has filed a request for an injunction to have the pro-Palestinian encampment removed from its campus.
Swarm of 20,000 bees gather around woman’s car west of Toronto
A swarm of roughly 20,000 bees gathered around a woman’s car in the parking lot of Burlington Centre.
U.S. says Israel's use of U.S. arms likely violated international law, but evidence is incomplete
The Biden administration said Friday that Israel's use of U.S.-provided weapons in Gaza likely violated international humanitarian law but wartime conditions prevented U.S. officials from determining that for certain in specific airstrikes.
Barron Trump declines to serve as an RNC delegate
Former U.S. President Donald Trump's youngest son, Barron Trump, has declined to serve as a delegate at this summer’s Republican National Convention, according to a senior Trump campaign adviser and a statement from Melania Trump's office.
Mother assaulted by stranger while breastfeeding baby in her car: Vancouver police
A person was arrested in East Vancouver Thursday after allegedly entering a car while a mother was breastfeeding her four-month-old boy.
'We have laws': Premier Smith says police action justified in Calgary
The actions, including the decision to use non-lethal force, to disperse pro-Palestinian protesters from the University of Calgary campus were justified, Alberta Premier Danielle Smith said Friday.
'State or state-sponsored actor' believed to be behind B.C. government hacks
The head of British Columbia’s civil service has revealed that a “state or state-sponsored actor” is behind multiple cyber-security incidents against provincial government networks.