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4,000 Marikina households lose electricity after man climbs Meralco pole, stays for 30 hours
Over 4,000 households in Marikina lost electricity after a man climbed up a Meralco utility pole and stayed there for nearly 30 hours.
According to a “24 Oras” report by Oscar Oida on Wednesday, Meralco had to cut off the electricity supply in Barangay Calumpang to prevent the man from being electrocuted.
As a result, a nearby school, Jesus Flock Academy, had to suspend classes for the welfare of its students.
“Wala na po nagawa mga estudyante, mga staff namin dahil masyado na po naiinitan ang mga bata dahil wala pong electricity. So, sa ngayon po, nag cancel kami ulit ng klase dahil po sa pangyayari,” said the school’s security guard, Nonoy Pamilara.
(The school was powerless to do anything. It became too hot for the students so we had to cancel classes because of what happened.)
Nearby malls and businesses also had to cease operations due to the lack of power.
The incident also caused traffic along the Marcos Highway.
“Kahapon pa 'yan eh. ‘Yung pagde-deliver ko, apektado lagi sa area na ito. Ang dami nanonood. Isa pa 'yon, kabilaan po 'yan,” said motorist Bingham Arua.
(This was happening since yesterday. My deliveries are always affected in this area. There was a big crowd of onlookers on both sides of the road.)
At around 11:00 a.m. on Wednesday, the man transferred to a different pole, allowing Meralco to restore electricity.
“Yung una po [na] sinampahan niya kasi, meron pong tawag namin underbuilt mayroong distribution system [o] line ito, kasi sub transmission line po ito meron. Distribution line doon, nakakabit kasi mga transformer na nagbibigay sa mga customer natin and then noong lumakad siya nalagpasan na niya yung linya ng distribution line natin,” said Meralco Sub Transmission Services Head Abet Castillo.
(The first pole the man climbed to had a distribution system that was part of a sub transmission line. The distribution line were attached to transformers that provide power to our customers. When the man walked he went past the distribution line.)
