Crow Suspected in North County Power Outage

Staff ReportsiBerkshires
Print Story | Email Story
NORTH ADAMS, Mass. — An errant crow apparently caused a power outage that affected nearly 7,000 National Grid customers on Saturday morning.

While the utility company can't confirm for sure it was the bird, a crow was found at the North Adams substation, said National Grid spokeswoman Jackie Barry.

"Crows, sometimes when they alight or take off different parts of their body touch different parts of energized equipment and it can arc," she said, because of their size and wingspan. "There was no damage to the equipment but it shut off a number of breakers that are connected to three lines that serve Williamstown and North Adams."

The breakers flipped at about 10:30, affecting customers in North Adams' West End, Williamstown and south along the west side of Route 7, according to the company's power outage map. The outage lasted about 45 minutes.

The utility does put in animal deterrents but they can find their way in, said Barry, particularly squirrels.

If you would like to contribute information on this article, contact us at info@iberkshires.com.

Create an Ad: Sheds-N-Stuff

By Sabrina DammsiBerkshires Staff

The children didn't have to go far to find a Sheds-N-Stuff product — there's a shed right on the school property.
FLORIDA, Mass. — Abbott Memorial School fourth-grade students participated in our Junior Marketers Create an Ad series.
 
This month, students highlighted the company Sheds-N-Stuff in Cheshire, showcasing its array of merchandise and services, including selling, delivering, and assembling its products.  
 
The family business was founded about 30 years ago under the name "Small Building Movers" by George Mott and, like its name suggested, it focused on moving small buildings. 
 
The company has since expanded to designing, building, delivering, and selling yard furniture and custom outdoor structures, including sheds, gazebos, garages, playsets, and more. 
 
Sheds-N-Stuff office manager Erin Paris visited the school to answer students' questions, which covered various aspects of the business, including its history, products, operations, and capabilities.
 
The business visit to the school was great, Vice Principal Denise Chesbro said. 
 
"I didn't think [the students] were going to stop asking questions. If we hadn't stopped them, they would have continued all day, but I think it was really impactful for them to really hear what a small business is like, and one that they have witnessed and seen in their community," Chesbro said. 
View Full Story

More North Adams Stories