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Belco: wayward kite caused Good Friday blackout

Caution: traditional kites can pose a threat, particularly around power lines (File photograph)

The island’s power company included a reminder on kite safety with its report on the long Easter weekend, after a large outage hit Hamilton Parish during the holiday.

Belco said 821 customers were in the dark for just over an hour when a member of the public, whose kite hit the overhead wires on Good Friday, attempted to disentangle it by tugging on the string — inadvertently forcing two high voltage conductors to come together.

It caused the network’s circuit to trip, which knocked out the power.

As the Belco crew worked to free the first kite, a second became caught in the conductors.

The crew had to remove both safely before restoring electricity.

Shelly Leman, Belco’s managing director, said: “We would like to remind the public that if a kite gets stuck in Belco's overhead network, never attempt to free the kite by pulling on the line.

“This can create serious safety hazards, including the risk of life-threatening injuries, and may cause power outages affecting hundreds of homes and businesses.”

The company reported 20 incidents overall involving kites and its overhead network during Good Friday.

Ms Leman said the best response to a snag on power lines was to call Belco on 955 for its crews to respond.

She added: “Kite flying is a cherished tradition in Bermuda and we want everyone to enjoy it safely.”

Information about kite safety can be found on the company's website at www.belco.bm.

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Published April 22, 2025 at 3:48 pm (Updated April 22, 2025 at 9:19 pm)

Belco: wayward kite caused Good Friday blackout

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