Seagull causes blackout

Photo / Hawke's Bay Today

More than 1000 homes in Whangaparaoa were left without power yesterday morning - by a seagull.

The bird crashed into power lines on Swan Beach Rd, Stanmore, about 8am, sending a surge through the line.

Eight transformers caught fire and about 700m of lines came down.

Power was cut to houses on Ardern, Melandra, Stanmore Bay and Brightside Rds.

Police and emergency services were called because lines were hanging down and in some places lying across homes.

Cordons were put up on Stanmore Bay, Brightside and Melandra Rds.

Ardern Rd resident Mark Thomas said his family heard a loud bang and "what sounded like the back end of a truck being dragged down the street".

He went outside to see a power line draped across his driveway.

"Everyone was out on the street in their nighties. The lines were still live. Once power is grounded you don't want to go near it. The police and fire came and told us to stay inside."

The family had no water because an electric pump was needed for his tank supply.

"Once they cleared the line and we could leave the property we went straight to McDonald's for breakfast so it wasn't all bad."

A Vector spokeswoman said power was restored to most homes by lunchtime.