ALBAWABA - When the power goes out, you likely wonder what happened, and you might even make a few assumptions, but you may never suspect that a fish might be behind a power outage.
An unusual power outage in a New Jersey community last week was caused by a dropped fish that landed on a transformer. The incident cut electricity to a considerable area in Lower Sayreville on Aug 12. It's likely a bird dropped the fish as it flew over.
Workers from Central Jersey Power and Light Company discovered the fish on the transformer as they were working to restore power. Although squirrels are generally the suspects responsible for power outages, fish are not traditionally believed to be culprits. The company spokesperson, Chris Hoenig, postulated that an osprey was likely responsible for the accident.
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The Sayreville area is home to a sizeable population of these birds, which were classified as extinct until less than a decade ago. Hoenig stated that the utility company has a proactive program to protect these birds and other raptors. The ospreys' protection plan involves moving nests that are too close to power lines or equipment.
The police department's Facebook page had a bit of fun with the story, asking their followers to remember the fish “as the victim in this senseless death,” and giving him the name, “Gilligan.” They called him “a hard-working family man” and “a father to thousands.”
Police joked that the suspected bird criminal was likely "flying south", and that their readers should avoid trying to catch the bird as he "may still be very dangerous."
Animal-caused power outages are a typical phenomenon, particularly in the United States. Squirrels are the most common culprit, thanks to their natural curiosity and instinctive habit of climbing vulnerable electrical towers. "Gilligan" the fish might be the first of his kind to cause a power outage, however.
