Skip to main content

Thousands of dollars in damage after power outages destroy appliances in Arnprior, Ont.

Share

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

N.B. man wins $64 million from Lotto 6/49

A New Brunswicker will go to bed Thursday night much richer than he was Wednesday after collecting on a winning lottery ticket he let sit on his bedroom dresser for nearly a year.

Stay Connected