A16
NEWS
Wallowa County Chieftain
Wednesday, May 15, 2019
Electric malfunction kills horse, cattle
Steve Tool
Wallowa County Chieftain
A Wallowa County cou-
ple lost two cows, a horse
and nearly their lives
because of a downed wire
that electrifi ed a stock fence.
Gary and Pennie Rials of
Troy knew something was
wrong when they noted two
cows laying down near the
fence while one of the cows
gave off billowing clouds
of smoke where it touched
the fence. The couple called
their power company, Clear-
water Power, to start the
ball rolling on repairing the
accident.
“Had that not happened,
we would have gone through
that gate and killed us,” Pen-
nie Rials said. About fi ve
hours after the initial call,
employees of Clearwa-
ter electric arrived on the
scene and according to the
Rials, “just stood there.” The
employees said they needed
to talk to their boss.
The road itself was “hot,”
as the couple’s dogs discov-
ered when they took a ride
to the area in a farm vehi-
cle. The dogs started a mad
dance as soon as their feet
touched the ground.
“Somebody could have
been killed,” Penny Rials
said. “They don’t care.”
Before leaving, the men
told the couple they would
return on Monday. The
employees returned at 2 p.m.
on the following week. They
left 10 minutes later saying
the problem was not theirs,
but rather, the Rials.’ They
refused to offer any assis-
tance when Gary Rials asked
for help to take the riser
(vertical conduit) down.
The crew eventually dis-
connected the power to the
weather head on property.
Rials, who formerly
worked as a “trouble man”
for Sierra Pacifi c (now NV
Energy) in Nevada, got
his tool bag and went to
work, fi nding the problem
within several minutes. He
said it was his opinion that
the Clearwater crew suf-
fered from inexperience and
didn’t seem to know what to
look for.
In his former profession,
Rials said the place would
have been crawling with
supervisors and not a single
one has shown to date. No
Courtesy photo/Pennie Rials
These two cows belonging to Gary and Pennie Rials of Troy were electrocuted after the fence became electrifi ed. Even though the fence became “hot” due to
a malfunction on the Rials’ property, they said it took two days after their initial call for Clearwater Power to shut off the power from the company’s end to the
hot spot. A horse died as well.
one from the company has accusations. He said that ny’s actions, Pierce said that lier statements. He added company’s top priority. He
explained why the problem Clearwater sent out a crew the company wanted to get that the employees were not said the couple could soon
didn’t trip the company’s within six minutes of receiv- to the bottom of what hap- allowed to work on any elec- expect a call from Clear-
fuse or operate the recloser, ing the initial call.
pened and tested the trans- trical issues on the Rials’ water’s insurance company
a high-powered electrical
“Other than travel time, it form bank and the ground property because it requires with their conclusions.
In a May 6 email to the
switch that cuts electricity was virtually an immediate and didn’t see any issues on a licensed electrician, which
Chieftain, Pennie
in the event
Rials said the
of a similar
situation.
‘IF I HADN’T SEEN A COW
‘WE’RE TAKING IT VERY SERIOUSLY couple is stand-
by its story
Gary Rials
SMOKING ON THE FENCE,
AND DOING A FULL WRITE-UP ON ing
that nothing was
said the lack
of concern on
I WOULD HAVE OPENED
IT. I DO KNOW A LINEMAN WOULD done on the ini-
tial Saturday,
the part of the
THAT GATE AND BEEN
NEVER LEAVE A SCENE THAT
April 20, visit.
employees
She also said
concerned him,
DEADER THAN A DOORNAIL.’
WASN’T SAFE FOR THE PUBLIC.’
that Clearwater
as well as the
Gary Rials
Bob Pierce, manager of member services for Clearwater electric returned to the
recloser/fuse
area more than
failures, which
once and that had
he said were
the proper fuses been used
probably set too high.
response,” he said. Pierce their side of the service.
the employees were not.
“If I hadn’t seen a cow added that the crew immedi-
“There’s a point where
“That’s a line we can- in the fi rst place, the power
smoking on the fence, I ately disconnected the power we make the connection at not cross,” he said. He also would have shut off and pre-
would have opened that gate to the Rials’ property in an the top of the meter pole and said the power is still dis- vented the livestock deaths.
and been deader than a door- attempt to mitigate the dam- it ceases to become our wire, connected at the top of the On May 13, she reported no
nail,” he said. Rials also age and for safety purposes. and the rest of it is the cus- meter pole. “It will need a one from the company had
noted that anyone walking
According to Pierce, the tomer’s wire,” he said. He state electrical inspection to contacted the family after
in the area, whether child or crew made no attempt to added the crew de-energized establish that it’s safe to be the Monday, April 22, visit.
“We’re afraid they don’t
adult could have unknow- fi x the damage that was was the meter pole causing the reconnected. We are turn-
ingly touched the fence and confi ned to the Rials’ prop- problem.
ing the information over to have the fuses set right and
been electrocuted. No one erty. He also said the issue
“We’re taking it very our insurance company and this will happen again!” she
from Clearwater had con- wasn’t obvious during the seriously and doing a full it will be up to them on what said. “You would think the
manager would come and
tacted the couple.
Saturday visit, so the crew write-up on it,” Pierce said. to do with it.”
Bob Pierce, manager of returned Monday for a more “I do know a lineman would
Pierce said that the inves- talk to us. This is really scary
member services for Clear- thorough investigation.
never leave a scene that tigation confi rmed that the and could of killed a lot of
water, disputed the couple’s
To clarify the compa- wasn’t safe for the public.”
company sent out a crew people!” She also said the
Pierce called the Chief- immediately upon the Rials’ insurance company’s claims
tain several days later and initial call on April 20 and department contacted them
said the company’s inves- disconnected the power on and asked for the dollar
tigation confi rmed his ear- that visit and safety is the amount in damages.
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