This fascinated me. I thought the group might enjoy it.
A tree branch took out a service drop, pulling the riser and the trough off the building. Aluminum siding!!!
It’s a 200A 3-Ø Commercial service with 3/0 cu. Steel raceway to the weather head, the trough is pulled off and it is visible hanging over the Gas Meter and Vent. The fire dept shut down a two lane state highway. And stood back until the utility arrived.
The Fire Dept reported that the service arced bright blue on the ground for 20-30 minutes waiting for the utility to cut the lines. The transformers were a 3-Ø pole mounted bank less than 200 feet (of wire) away.
Charlie Palmieri
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You can see the burn where the pipe and riser conductors laid on the ground. There is approximately 10 feet missing (it incinerated) The Fire fighters said that steel will relax when it’s temperature reaches near 1500F. I do not know what the available short circuit current was. I had to leave for vacation the day after the incident.
CP
