300 lose power after car crashes into pole

Power was cut to around 300 properties in Featherston and Martinborough early yesterday morning when a car struck a power pole on the No1 Line.

Police and fire services from Greytown and Featherston were called to the scene in Tauherenikau, just after 5am, to find the single male occupant stuck inside the vehicle.

Senior Sergeant Andrzej Kowalczyk of the district command centre said that when the power pole had been struck it came down on the car.

The driver was helped out of the car and was checked over by an ambulance officer at the scene. He suffered no serious injures.

Greytown Station Officer Harry Howard said he understood the driver had been heading to work in Masterton.

"He said a car crossed on to his side of the road and he had to take some action, which ended up with him driving into a power pole," Mr Howard said.

"The guy wasn't injured at all but there were concerns with the power line. He stayed in the vehicle until it was confirmed the power was off."

Mr Howard said the concrete post disintegrated and it was lucky the driver was able to walk away from the accident unharmed.

Powerco acting network operations manager Dean Stevenson said power supply was lost when the vehicle hit the pole but was restored to the majority of customers within 45 minutes.

He said supply was fully restored at 10.15am yesterday.