By Nicole Williams
AN UNLUCKY bird burst into flames and set hay bales on fire after it flew into a Gembrook power pole last week.
The resulting fire destroyed more than 50 hay bales and cut power to more than 3264 homes for several hours.
A spokesperson for SPAusnet said the bird was being blamed for the blaze after it flew into an electricity tower on Harewood Road on Thursday morning and fell in flames onto a pile of hay bales below.
CFA crews were called to the fire just before 10am and the fire was under control within 15 minutes.
Firefighters remained on site into the afternoon ensuring the fire would not re-ignite by pulling apart the hay stack using a bulldozer and extinguishing any lingering embers.
Four trucks and a field command vehicle attended the fire.
Two unrelated incidents also cut power to residents around Pakenham and Gembrook last week.
Just before 5.30am on Wednesday, a car hit a distribution pole on Pakenham-Gembrook Road, cutting power for more than 3000 homes.
The majority of customers had power returned within the hour.
On Thursday a tree fell onto the power lines on Harwood Road, Pakenham, just after 3.30am, severing powerlines and causing further damage to the lines.
Power was restored to 5990 homes by 7am but a further 22 homes had to wait until noon before their power was reconnected.
