Calif. eyes fire danger from pole wires

SAN DIEGO, Sept. 5 (UPI) -- California utility regulators ordered an investigation into the risk of wires breaking on utility poles that hold large numbers of cables and power lines.

The California Public Utilities Commission (CPUC) called for the probe this week in a report on the danger of wildfires due to "pole overloading."

"We don't know how widespread and serious the problem is, which is precisely why we're setting up the protocols and beginning the broad-scale inspections," Richard Clark, director of the CPUC safety division, told The San Diego Union-Tribune Friday. "They've started one fire, and one is one too many."

A downed cable television line has been blamed for starting a serious wildfire during last fall's destructive outbreak in San Diego County. The investigation found numerous broken lashing wires, which are used to secure electricity-conducting fiber-optic cables to other wires and cables that are strung between utility poles.

San Diego Gas and Electric Company is being sued in connection with the fires. The Union-Tribune said the cable company might be added as a defendant.

SDG-and-E and Cox Communications have denied any wrongdoing, and the CPUC report did not specifically cite pole overloading as a cause of the fire.