‘Like a dragon trail.’ Eerie aftermath of downed power line found in Nebraska soil
.jpeg "A photo shared by Polk County Rural Public Power District in Nebraska showed the track electricity took in the soil after a power line was downed on April 22.")
A downed power line in Nebraska has been identified as the source of eerie markings in the ground that resemble mythical dragon’s breath.
This 50-foot-long scar includes scorched grass, melted soil and mysterious vein-like appendages reaching in all directions.
It happened April 22 in Polk County, according to the Polk County Rural Public Power District. The county is about 100 miles west of downtown Omaha.
“We always stress to stay away from a down power line as they may still be energized,” the district wrote.
“Today we got a call that there was a line down, and when the lineman arrived, this is what they found. This awesome photo shows with the line down how the electricity was moving through the soil thanks to the perfect mixture of soil conditions.”
A photo shared on Facebook shows the scorched trail was almost double the length of the service vehicle sent to the scene.
Polk County Rural Public Power District, which maintains about 1,100 square miles of line, reports the power line was carrying 7,200 volts when it fell. It was downed by flying debris, which can also be seen in the photo.
“This was caused by the extreme winds we have been facing here in Nebraska,” the company told McClatchy News.
“There were no injuries as the reporting public did the right thing by staying away and contacting us immediately. The source of the debris was an abandoned building that was in need of being torn down, so the cost of the damage is negligible.”
Fallen power lines send electricity rippling through the ground in all directions, experts say. “The minimum safe distance from a downed power line is 35 feet, but we recommend staying at least 50 feet away,” Stearns Electric Association reports.
The power district’s photo has gotten hundreds of reactions and comments on social media, including some who noted it offered visual proof of an invisible danger.
“Makes me think what could happen,” Lonna Flodman wrote on Facebook.
“Looks like a dragon trail,” Norm Baker said.
“Both awesome and frightening,” Janice Jablonski posted.
This story was originally published April 25, 2022 at 7:45 AM with the headline "‘Like a dragon trail.’ Eerie aftermath of downed power line found in Nebraska soil."