Around 8am, the area experienced a power outage caused by a downed power pole from a traffic accident. The loss of power was felt along Highway 69 where a brief blackout occurred. Brown outs were prevalent in the western residential areas of Forest City and at Waldorf University.
Locations such as Hy-Vee, Forest City Ford, Kwik Star, and Casey’s experienced a brief blackout.
The accident occurred on Highway 69 and the Crystal Lake Blacktop. No one was hurt in the collision or resulting power pole break.
The flashing light that controls traffic from Winnebago Industries and Holland and other cars on the blacktop and on Highway 69 was sent to the ground and came to rest on the east side of Highway 69. The pole that held it in place above the highway was broken near the base. Replacing it will be tough considering that the ground is frozen. Crews are working to at least maintain the power lines until another pole can be put in its place. By some happenstance, a Forest City Electric crew was at the intersection at the time of the accident and watched the whole thing. They quickly went to work when the power pole was hit and taken down.
