A power pole fire in La Grange Park early Thursday morning caused internet outages in the community and nearby La Grange, authorities said.
Around 6:09 a.m., firefighters responded to a burning utility pole next to a home in the 1000 block of Sherwood Road.
The top of the pole had broken off and was hanging in the air, supported by wires, and on fire. Homes on either side of the burning pole were evacuated and firefighters deployed hoselines to protect the buildings, La Grange Park fire officials said.
Firefighters poured water on the bushes and ground cover beneath the utility poles and on the roof of one of the homes where embers had fallen.
Before firefighters could fully extinguish the fire, power had to be shut off to de-energize power lines and equipment directly involved in the fire. Once that was completed, residents were allowed to return to their homes. Officials said there were no reports of injuries and no apparent damage to homes.
The damage to the utility pole and subsequent fire is likely weather-related. After the fire, significant damage was discovered to Comcast’s fiber-optic lines, causing internet outages in La Grange Park, La Grange, and other nearby areas. This also affected the Voice over Internet Telephone (VoIP) system with the Village of La Grange Park and other users.
According to a Comcast representative, approximately 30,000 to 40,000 users were affected. Several utility crews were on the scene repairing the damage, and most service appeared to be restored by early afternoon.
