Utility cables hit by auger - photo

[nova_robotics]

best case the circuit supply has a recloser, or multilin 750 on it so it detects the fault and isolates the supply - The initial arc flash when contacting the conductors (if live) would have been impressive 0 those cables look like 25mm2 conductors or bigger - so plenty of punch from the supply in fault condition.

I was on a job site where somebody dug up a public road (without doing locates) and hit a power line. The circuit breaker did NOT trip, and the backhoe was electrified. There was a huge boom when the operator hit the wire. The operator was a smart guy though. As soon as it happened he turned off the backhoe, opened the cab door and jumped away from the machine. It wasn't his fault though. He was told to dig there. There's a much longer, much more entertaining story behind this one. But that's for another day.

[Hoosiersmoker]

And remind me to NOT call Guardian Fence Co. Why do I have this feeling they were putting up a fence around their own fencing company property when this happened? I also wonder if everyone got free gas next door when the power went out? Well there's 200 gallons of free diesel for that trucker!