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
'Oh my God, you're my brother': Man in his 70s discovers 6 unknown siblings
After receiving a DNA kit one Christmas from his son-in-law, Hugh McCormick soon discovered that he had six unknown siblings, with whom he shared the same birth parents.
No refund for travellers who cancelled flight already scrapped by airline: regulator
Four years on, the controversy over whether airlines owed refunds to passengers after cancelling hundreds of thousands of flights during the pandemic continues to simmer, aggravated by a sluggish, opaque complaints process.
Just how bad are ultraprocessed foods? Here are 5 things to know
Many foods fall under the category of ultraprocessed foods, depending on their exact ingredients. This type of food has been studied a lot lately, and the results aren’t great.
'My family doctor just fired me': Ontario patients frustrated with de-rostering
Dozens of Ontarians are expressing frustration in the province’s health-care system after their family doctors either dropped them as patients or threatened to after they sought urgent care elsewhere.
Rates of cancer declining in Canada, but more work needed to save lives: projections
A new study projecting declining rates of cancer cases and deaths in Canada demonstrates the success of prevention and early detection programs, but also highlights areas where more work is needed to save and prolong lives, researchers say.
DEVELOPING Trump trial arrives at a pivotal moment: Star witness Michael Cohen is poised to take the stand
The star prosecution witness in Donald Trump's hush money trial is set to take the stand Monday with testimony that could help shape the outcome of the first criminal case against an American president.
India's mammoth election is more than halfway done as millions begin voting in fourth round
Millions of Indians across 96 constituencies began casting their ballots on Monday as the country's gigantic, six-week-long election edges past its halfway mark. Prime Minister Narendra Modi is seeking a third straight term with an eye on winning a supermajority in Parliament.
Ottawa pizzeria places among top 20 deep-dish pizzas in the world at international competition
An Ottawa pizzeria is being recognized as one of the top 20 deep-dish pizzas in the world.
Man fatally 'slashed in the neck' in downtown Toronto, suspect outstanding
Police are searching for a male suspect after a man was “slashed in neck” on Sunday morning in downtown Toronto and died.