Power lines downed by farm equipment close North 1500 Road

A man surveys the scene after a seed planter dragged behind a tractor hooked a power line and downed a utility pole near the intersection of North 1500 Road and East 1750 Road.

A short stretch of North 1500 Road was closed near the intersection of East 1750 Road as Westar Energy crews work to repair utility poles, after a man hooked a power line with a piece of farm equipment, dragging down one utility pole and shifting another.

Douglas County Emergency Dispatch received a call shortly before 3 p.m. reporting that a man was trapped in a tractor after coming in contact with a power line.

Westar Energy and the Wakarusa Township Fire Department responded, and the man was eventually able to exit the tractor and appeared to be in good condition as he surveyed the power lines entangled in what appeared to be a seed planter he was pulling behind his tractor.

The exact number of Westar Energy customers out of power after the accident was not available, but a Westar Energy employee was overheard saying that it would be several hours before the power lines would be repaired. North 1500 Road was reopened by 6 p.m.

riverdrifter 11 months, 1 week ago

It's a big John Deere planter, perhaps 16 rows. It folds up (then down) for travel over the road. There's a laptop computer onboard that controls it. Could be that a software gliche told it to fold down and when that happened it clipped the lines because it reaches waay up high when it folds out. Or perhaps the operator brushed a hydraulic lever in the cab of the tractor. Or, the power line was sagging too low. Who knows.

juma 11 months, 1 week ago

All I can say is that I have been driving/using heavy equipment all my life and when using something this size and on the road YOU GET A SPOTTER TO HELP YOU NAVIGATE!!!!! Must have been some young dude that "knows everything".

bearded_gnome 11 months, 1 week ago

---and Pendleton's Asparagus now has to bravely grow on without the benefit of electricity being present. oh the humanity!

a power line with a piece of farm equipment, dragging down one utility pole and shifting another.

= "ZZZOOOONT!"

LUCKY THIS MAN WASN'T ELECTROCUTED!

Archive for Sunday, May 12, 2013