As cars drove down a busy boulevard in Baltimore yesterday during a storm, they saw an eerie sight — telephone poles began to fall all around them. In fact, nearly 50 people became trapped in their cars after 30 poles — along with electrical cables — toppled onto the street.
In a video taken from one such car, a woman is heard gasping as a telephone pole falls to the ground in front of her. "Aaron!" she calls out, to which a man's voice comically responds, "I can't do anything about it, Babe." (See video below, posted by Chaudhary Parvez.)
As of today, many cars are still stuck between the poles, as removing them is not a quick process. Drivers and passengers, however, were able to leave their cars once power in the area was turned off. (See second video below, posted by Ken Duffy.) Fortunately, although some cars were damaged, no serious injuries have been reported.
BALTIMORE – Baltimore Boulevard remains shut down after a storm knocked down more than 30 utility poles along a main Westminster road Monday, trapping dozens in their cars.
Maryland State Police said 33 adults and 14 children were rescued after 34 cars were trapped in fallen powerlines on Route 140. BGE worked to de-energize the powerlines so that they could evacuate people from their cars.
"They were stuck there because the powerlines came down and they couldn't get out of their vehicles," Carroll County Sheriff James DeWees said. "We have remained in constant communication with those in the vehicles and they are safe."
Officials said a bus took them to Winters Mill High School. State police have the keys to the cars, and after it is safe, those cars will be reunited with the owners, officials said.
"This is catastrophic damage," said BGE spokesperson Nick Alexopulos. "This is damage that if you worked in electric distribution at BGE for your entire career, you may see it once."
