Power surge cuts power, brings smoke to Vienna businesses
Vienna firefighters speak to a MonPower crew member Monday afternoon after several Vienna businesses suffered a power surge that left electrical outlets and boxes smoking. Power was turned off to those buildings and officials say it may have been related to a power pole that was struck Monday morning, knocking out power to Walmart and Starbucks. (Photo by Michael Erb)
Employees of Pet Supplies Plus in Vienna bring out carriers with animals inside, placing them in a waiting truck. Employees removed some animals Monday due to concerns smoke from a power surge could harm them. (Photo by Michael Erb)
A firefighter walks across the parking lot in front of Cato Fashions in Vienna to a waiting ambulance. A power surge caused smoke in several stores and led to their evacuation, but no injuries were reported and damage was believed to be minimal. (Photo by Michael Erb)
Vienna firefighters speak to a MonPower crew member Monday afternoon after several Vienna businesses suffered a power surge that left electrical outlets and boxes smoking. Power was turned off to those buildings and officials say it may have been related to a power pole that was struck Monday morning, knocking out power to Walmart and Starbucks. (Photo by Michael Erb)
Employees of Pet Supplies Plus in Vienna bring out carriers with animals inside, placing them in a waiting truck. Employees removed some animals Monday due to concerns smoke from a power surge could harm them. (Photo by Michael Erb)
A firefighter walks across the parking lot in front of Cato Fashions in Vienna to a waiting ambulance. A power surge caused smoke in several stores and led to their evacuation, but no injuries were reported and damage was believed to be minimal. (Photo by Michael Erb)
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VIENNA -- Power woes shut down multiple businesses in Vienna Monday and firefighters cleared some businesses due to smoke from overloaded electrical boxes.
A line of stores along Grand Central Avenue were evacuated early Monday afternoon due to smoke from small electrical fires. No one was injured and officials said damage was minimal.
Monday morning crews received a call of a power outage caused by a delivery truck behind the Vienna Walmart which knocked over a power pole, downing some lines onto train tracks and knocking out power to Walmart and Starbucks.
Early Monday afternoon, Vienna Volunteer Fire Department was dispatched to Pet Supplies Plus in a shopping plaza near Walmart after reports of smoke coming from an electrical box. More calls came from businesses within the shopping plaza, as well as nearby Rhododendron Furniture.
"The buildings all appear to have suffered the same problem, a power surge of some sort," said Vienna Fire Chief Steve Scholl. Though there was smoke from multiple electrical outlets and boxes, Scholl said there was no other fire and little damage.
"We're mainly working to get the smoke out of the buildings now," he said.
Williamstown Volunteer Fire Department also was called in to assist, though crews cleared the scene around 1:15 p.m. after MonPower trucks arrived.
Employees at Pet Supplies Plus returned to the store shortly after it was evacuated due to concerns for the animals left inside. Several animals were loaded into pet carriers and safely placed into the back of a nearby truck to keep them out of the smoke and cold.
"There was some concern about the animals, particularly the birds," Scholl said.
Around 6:45 p.m., Vienna Volunteer Fire Department responded to the same shopping plaza when smoke was again reported in the stores, Scholl said. The issue was the same as earlier in the day, he said.
Electricity was turned off to all the plaza stores for the remainder of the evening as a safety precaution, Scholl said. The power company was investigating the cause of the smoke Monday night.