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Police release video of tractor-trailer taking down PECO poles and power lines in East Lansdowne
FOX 29's Shawnette Wilson reports.
EAST LANSDOWNE, Pa. - Video posted Wednesday on the East Lansdowne Police Department’s Facebook page shows a tractor-trailer moving along Penn Boulevard near Baltimore Avenue taking down PECO poles and power lines, igniting a fire and knocking out power.
“Everyone was scared. The transformer blew because it was attached to the pole and black smoke went everywhere," said Demetris Papaioannou. He owns Off the Hook Seafood near where it happened last Friday.
“We tried to get a generator hooked up but because of all the amps that we use with all the equipment, they couldn’t hook it up, so we lost a lot of food,” said Demetris who was forced to close for 2 days.
"We opened Sunday extremely limited and working off of my cell phone for part of the day,” said Demetris.
Manager and cashier Kishma Treadwell says the timing couldn't have been worse.
“We sell a lot of crabs here. On a daily week we do pretty good numbers so I missed a lot,” said Kishma. She still doesn't understand why the driver of the 18-wheeler was on this particular road.
“It wouldn’t make sense considering there’s a sign that says no trucks through. That’s common sense," she said. In residential neighborhoods power was out immediately too.
“It was like a big like boom as far as with the electric," said Malika Canales. Some residents say their power was back on in 30 minutes. Malika says her power was restored about two hours later and lucky for her. She and her mom recently moved their hair salon International Divas to their home temporarily.
“We had some clients there. They were all under the dryer and the dryers completely cut off,” said Malika. Officials say no one was hurt. It was just a big mess.
“Way more than I expected. You talking about an inconvenience? A major inconvenience,” said Malika.