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Thieves could have died

BC Hydro says thieves risked death or serious injury by cutting down two power poles with chainsaws in Surrey.

Hydro says the two poles were located on separate properties and their transformers were stripped of copper.

Spokeswoman Mora Scott says 25,000 volts of electricity was running through a power line when one of the poles was brought down, causing a grass fire on Sunday evening.

She says the other pole was located on a property where a house was about to be demolished so the power line was turned off, but the thieves would not have known that when they risked their lives.

Hydro says metal theft is a huge concern because it affects the safety of the public and its employees while impacting the reliability of the electrical system.

The utility says a downed power line is dangerous and that people should stay at least 10 metres away and call 911 immediately.



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