The Courier & Advertiser (Angus and Dundee)
Lights out at 250 homes after car hits power line
More than 250 Perthshire properties were left without power after a car hit an electricity line and toppled down an embankment into a holiday lodge.
Four people walked free from the wreckage but the B9097 Ballingry to Crook of Devon road was closed following the crash near Loch Leven.
Emergency services made the scene safe and Scottish Ambulance Service medics checked the driver over.
A nearby resident, who heard the crash before her power was cut off, said: “When I looked out of my window I saw four young people standing at the side of my driveway talking on their phones. They appeared unhurt.
“When I went outside a neighbour told me they were not injured and as they were all busy talking on their mobiles I wandered over to where the car had landed.
“It had left the road, struck the power pole and rolled down the embankment into a lodge.
“Looking at the car it’s miraculous no one was hurt.”
The accident happened at the Loch Leven Lodges self catering site five miles from Kinross.
It is understood the lodge which was hit was empty but the neighbouring property had someone inside.
The witness added: “It’s quite a dangerous road with blind bends and summits.
“The other residents and
I would like to see a barrier put up along the edge of the road to protect us and drivers from what has happened today.
“The lodge next to the one that was crashed into is occupied and the lady there witnessed the crash and was very shaken by it.”
Police Scotland issued a statement on social media yesterday afternoon advising motorists to use alternative routes while the road was closed.
A spokesman said: “We were made aware of a crash involving a single car on B9097 near Loch Leven between the junction with the B920 and B996 around 10.05am on Monday, 4 January.
“The vehicle struck a power line and the road was closed to allow the line to be made safe.
“The ambulance service was contacted to check on the female driver and the vehicle has been recovered.”
The incident left 253 properties in the area without power for several hours.
A spokesperson for energy company SSE said: “The vehicle striking the power line did result in a power cut, causing the power to go off to 253 properties.
“On the rare occasions the power goes off, our priority is to restore our customers’ supplies as safely and as quickly as possible.”
The firm said electricity was restored to 229 properties by around 2. 30pm yesterday and engineers were working to restore energy to the remaining 24 properties.