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Downed power pole causes outages
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Times photos: Brenda Steurer A power pole was snapped off at about 6 a.m. Friday in the 2000 block of 11th Street on Monroes south side. A dump truck box hit some power lines, which broke the pole. About 350 customers were without electricity, phone serve and cable television while crews from Alliant Energy replaced the pole. Work crews restored energy to all but 16 customers by 8 a.m. Friday. Electricity was restored for the rest of the customers by the early afternoon.
MONROE - Customers on Monroe's south side lost electricity, phone and cable television service after a dump truck hit some power lines and snapped off a power pole at about 6 a.m. Friday in the 2000 block of 11th Avenue.

Alliant Energy spokesman Steve Schultz said 344 customers were without power after the crash. By 8 a.m., electricity to all but 16 customers was restored. Electricity to the remaining 16 customers was expected to be returned between noon and 1 p.m.

The 16 customers were directly affected by the downed power pole, Shultz said.

About 200 TDS Telecom and about six Charter Communications customers were without telephone or cable service until Alliant Energy finished installing a new power pole.

According to the Monroe Police Department, a Reese Construction dump truck driven by William C. Kilian, 60, Monroe, was traveling south on 11th Avenue with the dump box in the air when the box hit some power lines. The box pulled the lines down, snapped the power pole and unearthed a stop sign.

No one was injured in the crash and no citations were issued.

Schultz said Reese Construction will be billed for the damage and the repairs.

Two vehicles near the power pole were scratched by wires, but the vehicle owners weren't identified because the police report wasn't completed.