CL&P Replacing Power Lines After Coleman Road Blaze

Connecticut Light and Power crews have been working all day to repair high-tension power lines damaged by an electrical fire Monday which sparked a brush fire in a field off Coleman Road.

Repair work has been slow, according to CL&P, because the pole is a double truss, necessitating a giant crane to prop up the power lines before they descend into a gully and south toward Durham.

The blaze, which touched off at 4 p.m., moved very quickly, according to District Chief Edward Badamo, was in the power lines, and, "the guys got it under control very quickly."

The fire, whose cause is unknown, was fueled by high winds, but caused no property damage. It was knocked out before becoming a danger to the home adjacent to the field, Badamo says.

"When we were dispatched to the area, it took about a half-hour to 40 minutes to get it under control and another hour and a half to put out the hot spots."

Durham Fire's tanker truck was brought in to assist, according to Francis Willett.

With yesterday and today's high winds and drought conditions, the risk of brush fire is very high, according to Badamo.

The Connecticut Department of Energy and Environmental Protection says the state is under a high Forest Fire Danger Level and so open burning of brush is not allowed — even with a permit.

The National Weather Service has issued a Red Flag Warning for Connecticut. Such warnings are issued when high winds will be sustained or there will be frequent gusts above a certain threshold (normally 25 mph). These conditions are also defined by humidity levels below 30 percent and precipitation for the previous five days of less than a quarter-inch. 

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