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Family Claims Pole Rips Power Lines After Numerous Complaints To OG&E

A Van Buren couple is asking OG&E to take responsibility for a power pole crashing in their yard Thursday (July 10) night.   They say they’ve made numerous ...
A Van Buren couple is asking OG&E to take responsibility for a power pole crashing in their yard Thursday (July 10) night.
 
They say they’ve made numerous complaints about its instability for months. Thursday evening, the pole ripped power lines from the house, leading to sparks shooting out of a gas heater.
 
“The poles started leaning back in December when we had all the ice and the snow,” Misty Baker, homeowner said. “That was the first time I called and they said we’ll send somebody out.”
 
Weeks pass, and they say still nothing happened.
 
“Then again on June 22, I called, and I stayed here until the OG&E guy came, and he said I put this order in on the second of June it’s a rush order, I don’t know why no one’s come out and done it,” Baker said. “The only thing that’s holding it up are the wires that are connected to your house.”
 
But Thursday before Baker and her husband Mark went to dinner, she noticed the pole teetering more. When they got back they heard a noise outside, and saw sparks coming from the bathroom and noticed they were shooting out of their gas water heater.
“Mark said get away we have to get this turned off,” Baker said. “We ran into the room where our breaker is we flipped the breakers and ran outside and turned the water off, called 911, called OG&E and the police were here the fire department was here, and OG&E came.”
 
Now they have no electricity and they fear OG&E wants them to foot the bill for the damage.
 
“OG&E [told us last night they wouldn’t] be responsible because it was an act of God,” Baker said.
 
OG&E looked further into the issue after a call from 5NEWS.
 
The Bakers say OG&E requested an electrician come out to see if wires are stable before the company would turn back on the electricity.
 
OG&E told us safety is a priority, and they welcome any claims a customer makes. In this case the Bakers are still assessing the damage to their home, which includes a destroyed water heater and damage in their bathroom.
 
OG&E’s Community Affairs Manager said in a statement over the phone regarding the family’s damage: “More than likely we will do anything what’s necessary to address the damages due to the failure of the pole.”
OG&E said the repair was scheduled to take place July 14.

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