Posted on 10/31/2005 7:47:17 PM PST by martin_fierro
Electrocuted Squirrel Starts Grass Fire
Mon Oct 31, 7:06 PM ET
BYRAM, Miss. - An electric lineman believes a squirrel started a grass fire Monday after the critter was electrocuted and fell from a power line onto parched ground.
It's been more than a month since significant amounts of rain have fallen in central Mississippi, though some showers were expected late Monday. Burn bans are in effect in this Jackson suburb and many other nearby communities.
Passing motorists saw a flash and heard a loud pop, then saw ashes falling from the power line. The spark ignited a grassfire, which spread to nearby pine trees and charred a fence. Byram volunteer firefighters responded within minutes.
An Entergy lineman arrived as the flames were extinguished and found the probable cause of the fire the squirrel's charred body.
One of the motorists, Calvin Russell told Jackson's WLBT-TV: "I'm a country boy, so I'm thinking dinner time."
Zzzzzzot
Zing!
Two electrified squirrels cause a power outage in a neighboring dorm when I was an undergrad. It was not pleasent for the guys at ConEd to clean it up.
Rocky the Frying Squirrel.
With spelling like that, I hope you were one of the ConEd guys.
< |:)~
Remember Martin, I am a member of the SPELLCHECK generation.
Alas, Darwin Awards are popular in the Squirrel Kingdom, too.
Keyed into FOX News for this one. If it ain't on FOX it didn't happen.
Is this a great country, or what.
I see them walking the power lines in my neighborhood all the time. What keeps them from being zotted?
Tiny little insulated rubber booties.
First you must understand that the goal of electricity is to find the ground. It will follow the path of least resistance to get there.
While the squirrels are "walking the power lines" the electrical current flows through the insulated wires as detouring through the animals would cost rather than conserve energy. It is only when the little beasts are touching the wire and, say a power pole that they complete the circuit and allows the electricity to flow to the ground in a shorter path than continuing across the wires, through the substation into your house and to the ground.
from the article: "It's been more than a month since significant amounts of rain have fallen in central Mississippi"
Masters of the understatement?
I kind of understood that but they have to touch both every time they get on the wire don't they? Or do they climb to the top of the pole and leap to the wire without touching both at the same time?
I suspect that it's because of the insulation you mentioned that they don't get shocked every time
I want one.
Thanks.
Pre-cooked squirrel. How did I miss this one!
Bump!
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