General News
12 September, 2025
Borer causes CBD power outage
The Oakey CBD lost power for two hours last Friday afternoon after a contractor made contact with a live wire in the Oakey Cemetery.
The outage was caused by a private contractor borer operator’s equipment, which came into contact with powerlines at about 3.30 pm on Friday.
An Ergon Energy spokesperson said 645 customers lost power between 3.30pm and 5.15pm and 73 customers were without power until 8.15pm.
Ergon is urging all truck drivers, operators, and businesses to stay vigilant around overhead powerlines and electrical assets, after almost 150 contacts on the network involving heavy vehicles since January.
Agricultural equipment, high loads, trucks and earthmoving equipment and
excavators have struck power poles or made contact with overhead powerlines across Queensland, disrupting electricity supply to thousands of properties for many hours.
Over the past 12 months, Ergon has recorded 149 heavy vehicles hitting electrical infrastructure, a figure that highlights the ongoing risk to both public safety and the electricity network.
Acting Area Manager Wes Bahr warns that it only takes a momentary lapse in concentration for a collision with live wires or fallen lines to result in serious injury or worse.
“Our message to anyone operating large machinery is clear: stay alert around electrical assets, especially when moving high loads,” Mr Bahr said.
“If your vehicle comes into contact with powerlines or any electrical equipment, remember our Stay, Call, Wait! mantra – Stay in your vehicle, Call for help, and Wait until emergency services and our crews arrive.”
Mr Bahr said it was also important for bystanders and well-meaning people to stay well clear of the incident, as they can also be at risk of electric shock or fatal injury if they touch the vehicle or nearby equipment.
If a life-threatening emergency such as fire forces the driver to exit the vehicle, they should open the door fully, jump clear – ensuring they do not touch the vehicle and the ground at the same time – and land with their feet together, avoiding any fallen powerlines.
Once clear, they should shuffle their feet until they are at least ten metres away from the vehicle to minimise the risk of electric shock.
Drivers are also reminded that electrical current can compromise the chemical structure of the air within the truck’s tyres, making them prone to rupture or explosion.
For this reason, any vehicle involved in a power-line incident should not be driven for at least 24 hours.
