An investigation is underway after an electricity sub-station near the Alberta-Saskatchewan border was slaughtered on Monday, overthrowing oil and leaving thousands in the dark.
The RCMP says that they answered a call for firearms in an ATCO sub-station in Lloydminster, a city straddling the provincial border.
They say that the installation was killed and that a ball struck an oil tank, eliminating power to more than 8,400 residents for almost five hours and releasing around 20,000 liters of oil.
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Preliminary estimates place the cost of damage and environmental cleaning at around 1.1 million dollars.
Police also investigate several break -in introductions that took place during the breakdown, but say that there is no evidence to suggest a link.
Amanda Match, Vice-President of ATCO Electric operations, said the company has teamed up with an environmental management company to approach and mitigate any impact.
“Safety, environmental responsibility and reliable service of the service were our main priorities,” Match said in a statement on Tuesday. “We thank our customers for their patience and understanding while we continue to support the RCMP survey.”
& Copy 2025 the Canadian press