Mandaue cop to utility firms: Address dangling wires to avoid accidents

A container of a truck fell from the truck tray on the road after it snagged dangling wires along M.C. Briones Street, Barangay Jagobiao, Mandaue City, at past 12 noon, today, July 31, 2020. | Contributed Photo

CEBU CITY, Philippines — Utility companies should monitor their line wires and address the problem of dangling wires to avoid accidents.

Policemen from the Mandaue Traffic Police Office made this appeal to utility companies after an accident this afternoon, July 31, 2020, along M.C. Briones Street, Barangay Jagobiao, Mandaue City, where a container van fell off the truck tray onto the road after the reefer container snagged dangling wires along the road.

Police Corporal Jimeson Dapar, investigator of the case, told CDN Digital that they were asking the utility services firms to always monitor their line wires to avoid accidents like the container van incident which caused power outages to some areas in parts of the city and in some areas in northern Cebu.

Dapar also said that the accident also affected the traffic flow in the area at that time.

Queenie Bronce, Visayan Electric Co. (Veco) spokesperson, confirmed that the accident caused a power outage that affected areas in Barangay Canduman, Mandaue City and parts of Consolacion town.

“Primary pole sa Visayan Electric gibanga-an og truck. Then gipa confirm pa nako kay naa pud secondary pole nga nabira sad ang wires,” Bronce said.

(A truck crashed into a primary pole of Visayan Electric. Then I still have to confirm reports about a secondary pole whose wires were snagged.)

“For now, three groups of our emergency crew are working on replacing the pole. Power is out in areas in Canduman up to the Visayan Electric substation in Consolacion. About 1,000 customers are affected by the power outage. Estimated time to restore power is 8 hours, “ she said.

She also said that she had yet to confirm allegations about the the firm’s alleged dangling wires.

Dapar also said that the prime mover driven by Dave Anthony Niez, 26, from Barangay Labogon, Mandaue City, was headed to Consolacion town in northern Cebu when the reefer container van was caught on the dangling wires while traversing along M.C. Briones Avenue.

Although no one was hurt in the incident, Dapar said that it could have been avoided if the utility services firms were more mindful of their responsibilities to constantly check the situation of their line wires.

“Mga tawo sa area dugay naman daw na sila sige reklamo pero wala matagad (The residents in the area said they have long been complaining about the dangling wires but their complaints were not answered.),” said Dapar.

As of this time, Dapar said they were waiting for Niez to visit the station to record the incident./dbs