A curious squirrel found out the hard way that some objects should never be climbed.
The furry-tailed rodent made its way last Wednesday atop a breaker within the Oak Street substation, which powers much of the central part of Iola.
The squirrel proved to be a suitable conductor for 69,000 volts of electricity to arc through its body with a mighty jolt and fireball.
The breaker sustained extensive damage from the subsequent explosion, causing a power outage for several minutes.
Electric Plant Superintendent Mike Phillips said crews were able to “backfeed” the impacted circuits in town, allowing the electricity to be restored within a half-hour.
The charred remnants of Bullwinkle’s pal were found lying atop the breaker.
“It wasn’t hard to find,” Phillips said.
It remains to be seen whether the city will be able to repair the bushings and other components of the damaged breaker, which Phillips estimated to be about seven years old.
Phillips said he sent out requests to three vendors, but has not received a response from any of them.
If no parts can be found, the city will need to replace the breaker altogether, at a cost of $30,000 to $35,000, Phillips said — and there may be quite a wait involved.
Because of supply chain issues, some breakers may take up to three months or longer to arrive.
“We could be looking at getting a new one in January,” he said.
