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Truck takes down utility lines, knocks out power along Grand Central

Brad Smith of the Vienna Volunteer Fire Department stands in the turn lane going into Grand Central Mall with a stop sign as firefighters became traffic directors in front of the mall Monday. (Photo by Jeff Baughan)

VIENNA — A mid-morning downing of a utility line in the alley between Grand Central Aveue, Burger King and Firehouse Subs caused more technology damage than physical damage to the vehicle which took down the line.

The 11:07 a.m. Monday accident resulted in power being out on Grand Central Avenue from the floodwall to the Vienna Wal-Mart, according to Sgt. Rick Berdine of the Vienna Police Department. Berdine said there were no injuries and no citations issued.

Traffic signals on Grand Central Avenue were without power throughout the affected area, Berdine said.

“The accident itself did not take any power lines,” said Berdine. “It only took out utility lines.”

Berdine said the bread delivery truck from SBC Transportation Inc. of Youngstown left the Burger King parking lot, crossed the alley and took out the low-hanging lines.”

A truck from the Vienna Volunteer Fire Department sits at the scene of a downed utility line on Monday between Burger King and Firehouse Subs. A bread delivery truck hit a utility pole and power was out to the traffic lights in front of Grand Central Mall. (Photo by Jeff Baughan)

Capt. Tim Woollard of the Vienna Volunteer Fire Department said there was no electrical hazard.

“But it will probably affect some buildings along the alley until the utilities can get in and put the lines back in place,” he said. “Some of the utilities are going to be down for an unknown time. The line ripped down is quite a mess.”

Woollard and firefighters Cody Scholler and Brad Smith found themselves helping with traffic control at the four-way intersection at the scene during the traffic light outage. The traffic heading into Parkersburg was reduced to two lanes in front of the Burger King.

Jody Hopkins, general manager of Grand Central Mall, said the mall building itself did not lose power “but buildings along the exterior portions of the mall, places like Burger King, Toys R Us, Popeyes, Panera Bread, Ruby Tuesday and other places may have. It is sporadic as to who is on and off at times.”

Woollard said the low-hanging lines in the alley, which runs from Grand Central Avenue to the entry lane of the mall, “are constantly a source of calls,” he said. “The two poles in the middle of the alley have low-hanging lines. Trucks are constantly getting tangled.”

Capt. Tim Woollard of the Vienna Volunteer Fire Department speaks to firefighters at the scene of the downed utility line while directing traffic in front of Grand Central Mall. (Photo by Jeff Baughan)

Right: A Vienna firefighter relays information involving damage about the downed line Monday morning. (Photo by Jeff Baughan)

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