I was checking out a construction site on my block. I was walking along the street. I was interested in a project where they were moving the power lines underground.

I saw a metal fence post leaning up against a power pole. In the hole next to the pole I could see that this fence post had punctured a conduit pipe. Inside this pipe was power cable carrying about 12,000 volts.

I sent an email to Puget Sound Energy (PSE):

Subj: Project number 1 0 1 1 6 5 1 5 1 - Possible safety hazard at the site along 152nd.

"There is a small trench (or hole) next to one of the poles. A steel fence post is in the hole and leaning up against the power pole. This steel fence post appears to have punctured one of the two PVC conduit pipes in this hole. If the wire in the conduit is energized, it could be very dangerous to try to remove the steel fence post from the hole in the conduit."

Somehow there were no workmen in the area. Had someone moved that steel fence post and damaged the cable's insulation they would have probably lit up like a flashbulb. The workman setting the fence posts is lucky to be alive, he almost became an instant crispy-critter. It is fortunate that no one was electrocuted here. You can see the electrical tape where the conduit had been punctured. The conduit in question is the one going to the left-hand fuse.