Collapsing crane causes power blackout in three townships
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Power to Kamayut, Sangyoung and Bahan townships in Yangon was cut off on April 14, following the collapse of a crane.
While removing a giant billboard (measuring 40 feet in length, and 20 feet in width) at the Junction Square the crane boom collapsed, bringing down with it 9 lampposts and the 33-KV power line.
The accident caused power shortages in the three townships.
Apparently, Shwetaung Co did not inform the respective township offices about the decision to remove the billboard.
“Shwetaung Co did not inform our electric power offices of its plan. It seems that the company did not properly study the weight of the billboard and the crane boom’s capacity,” Ye Marn Oo, the electrical engineer of Kamayut townhip, told Daily Eleven.
The power line is directly under the billboard.
Yangon City Electricity Supply Board mobilised staffers from eight townships to handle the emergency situation. According to chief engineer Yan Lin, power from sub-power stations in other townships were supplying power to the three townships.
The situation was solved with a 50-tonne crane, a 10-tonne crane, a 3-tonne crane and 80 staffers. The power was restored four hours after that.
“The power was cut off at 1.30pm,” said Lei Lei, a resident from Sangyoung township. “I had no idea what’s going on as I was about to leave home for the water-splashing festival. I then saw the lampposts fall down along with the billboard. I was glad to see the resumption of power at 6pm.”
