Again, PHCN Wire Destroys Houses, Vehicles In PH

No fewer than five houses and four vehicles were damaged on Thursday at Rumuibekwe Estate in Port Harcourt after a Power Holding Company of Nigeria (PHCN) 33KVA high tension line snapped following a heavy storm in the area.

Though no lives were lost, the level of destruction was high as a lot of buildings along the Cross Crescent, not far from Las Vegas junction in the estate, including a transformer were damaged from the poles which caved-in in the process.

When The Weekend Tide visited the area, yesterday, about 15 PHCN electric poles were lying on the ground with some on fences along the street.

Residents of the area informed The Weekend Tide that as at the time of the incident there was power outage. However, about four vehicles parked along the road were damaged, including one that had a lady and her two kids who escaped unscathed.

Mrs Chiegbu Esther, a resident of the area told Weekend Tide that a month ago, an unidentified vehicle had collided with one of the poles. She stated that they had alerted PHCN officials who failed to respond.

A survey of the area indicated that some  PHCN lines and poles are already caving-in, especially along the Rumuibekwe-Woji road. Most of the lines have equally weakened and are hanging dangerously along the major roads.

Another resident, who gave his name as Emmanuel Dickson, observed that some of the poles erected are of low quality. He explained that this was not the first incident as any slightest rain affects PHCN installations.

Speaking on the incident, a trader, Adah Best said she was ‘gripped with fear” as the poles gave way to the storm. Some of the wires fell on top of the daily market in the street.

As at yesterday, PHCN officials were seen rectifying the problem in order to restore power to the area.

An official of PHCN, who failed to give his name, explained to The Weekend Tide that the area had been earmarked for demolition already by the state government.