FARMINGTON – High winds pushed a tall white pine onto utility lines on Titcomb Hill Road this afternoon causing outages in four towns and briefly impacted emergency dispatch center.
Farmington, Industry, New Sharon and Starks all experienced an hour without electrical power after the tree fell and was reported at 2:53 p.m. Emergency crews responded to the report and, while on their way to help out, had the power interrupted from the Franklin County dispatch center. The Mosher Hill Road emergency communications tower utilizes the power lines along Titcomb Hill.
Emergency back-up power immediately put crews back in contact with dispatchers, which was a good thing because smoke was reported coming from a home on the Lucy Knowles Road in Farmington Falls after a power surge was reported. Five area town fire departments, including Farmington’s first responders who arrived at the toppling tree, were called to the Falls. The smoke report was called off after no fire was found.
Traffic lights in Farmington were out but courteous motorists took turns going through the intersections to keep traffic moving. Shopkeepers stood outside their darkened businesses chatting with each other in the otherwise sunny spring day.
Central Maine Power Co. crews responded quickly and the tree was taken down and power was restored.
