Firearms damage found on power line that led to Pimicikamak outage: Manitoba Hydro

Manitoba Hydro says a preliminary examination into a days-long power outage that led to a water catastrophe in a northern First Nation found there was firearm damage near the power line.

The Crown-owned utility says an inspection of the wire that broke at the end of last month in Pimicikamak Cree Nation showed there was shotgun pellet damage to portions of the infrastructure, including the power line itself.

Manitoba Hydro says while it has not been determined that the shotgun pellets caused the line to break, it is warning hunters and other firearm owners that shooting at any electrical infrastructure can shorten its lifespan, cause outages and create safety risks.

The definitive cause of the break on the line remains under investigation.

The First Nation was without power for about four days when a 300-metre-long power line running between two islands in the Nelson River broke.

The power went out during a cold snap, resulting in ruptured pipes, the evacuation of 4,400 residents from the area and the deployment of the Canadian Armed Forces.