Residents assess damage caused by power surge

A power surge in Monkton caused by a car accident left residents dealing with damaged appliances and electrical systems.A crash on Saturday knocked down a power line on Big Falls Road.”We heard this big bang. Then, we heard two more bangs, and boom, the power went off,” said Sara Margraf, a Monkton homeowner affected by the power surge.Margraf said the power was out for eight hours, and when it returned, another big pop blew some fuses. Their HVAC systems had fried parts, and sparks flew out of the well pump next to their water heater.The Monkton community Facebook page was filled with posts from residents sharing the damage that the power surge caused to their homes and appliances.Baltimore Gas and Electric said it’s investigating the incident and is advising customers to file a claim on the utility’s website.Margraf said their systems have since been fixed, and they have installed surge protectors for their HVAC units to prevent future incidents.”It’s very concerning when you have two little kids in the house and you hear booming up or popping in the basement,” Margraf told WBAL-TV 11 News Investigates. “You never know what’s going to happen. I was able to call an emergency electrician to get assurance that everything in the house was fine, and we did have BGE come out to determine the voltage in our house was appropriate. But it’s really scary, right? Everything is run on electrical, so one thing pops, the whole house could catch on fire.”BGE statement”On Saturday, Nov. 29, BGE responded to a call regarding a downed power pole and wires on Big Falls Road in Monkton, caused by a car crashing into the pole. BGE crews repaired the equipment and restored power to the affected customers. We are continuing to investigate the incident. “Safety is our No. 1 priority, and we’re committed to helping customers take steps to ensure their safety before, during, and after a power outage. Important outage preparedness and safety information is available on BGE.com.”This page also includes information about protecting appliances and electronic equipment:Plug electronic equipment into electrical surge suppressors. Turn off and unplug sensitive electronics such as computers, modems and routers to protect them from power surges. Turn off all appliances, including your furnace, air conditioner, water heater and washers to avoid overloading circuits when service is restored. Leave a light on so you will know when your power is back on. Ensure you can manually operate your garage doors or security gates.  “Other considerations for homeowners:Purchase equipment with built-in surge protection or a battery-powered backup system.  If you own a business or have a home office, consider installing an uninterruptible power supply for temporary backup power for your electronic equipment.  Consider having a lightning arrester installed at your main circuit panel.  Consider purchasing a generator to power your home in case of outages. “Always report power outages: BGE urges customers to report outages immediately using one of the following methods: Online at BGE.comBGE’s free mobile app, available at the Apple App Store or on Google PlayText a message to 69243  Call 877-778-2222  “These reporting services are available 24/7. To sign up for email and text notifications, go to BGE.com/alerts.”