Properties left without power after pole crash

A truck driver who misjudged his turn caused 1000 Whangarei properties to briefly lose power yesterday. Photo / Michael Cunningham

It was an early finish and off for a sunny afternoon at the pub for some Whangarei workers after a truck splintered a power pole and left 1000 properties, including 300 businesses, temporarily without power yesterday.

Power was reinstated to all but 14 businesses within 13 minutes following the accident on Porowini Ave just before 3pm, said Northpower's Steve Macmillan.

The pole was replaced and the remainder of businesses were expected to have their power reconnected by 7pm, Mr Macmillan said. Despite the catastrophic damage to the pole, no lines had actually fallen, he said. Tigga Dean, at Krystal Klear Car Painters, said he heard a "a big loud crash" before power went out.

His workplace was about 20m from where the PBT Couriers truck ploughed into the pole, splitting it in half.

Mr Dean's colleagues failed to look upset when he announced there was little work that could be done without electricity.

"We're all going " we're off to the pub," he told them.

Whangarei police were diverting traffic away from Porowini Ave, which was temporarily closed.

Senior constable Stefan Billings said the exact cause of the crash was still being determined, despite it being in a busy area, witnesses had not been forthcoming.

A police spokeswoman said it appeared the driver had "clipped" the pole as he went to turn into a driveway where he was delivering goods.

A spokesman from PBT Couriers at the scene refused to comment.