Cell tower gets cut down, hits power lines, leaves thousands without AC during summer in the desert
Law enforcement is claiming sabotage in the June 20 felling of a wooden, monopole cell tower in Wittmann, Ariz.
The tower fell on power lines, knocking out electricity to nearly 2,000 area residents, which was restored the same day.
Citing the Maricopa County Sheriff’s Office, a local CBS affiliate reported that it appears the tower was cut down deliberately.
Wireless Estimator, an online telecom news outlet, reported that video of the base shows the tower “had been obviously cut diagonally with a chain saw so that it would fall on the power lines.”
The tower, located near 211th and Grand avenues, is reportedly owned by infrastructure heavyweight American Tower. This is the second cell tower American Tower has lost recently, as a tower in Va. caught fire last week.
AZCentral quoted Renee Hamblin, spokeswoman for the Surprise Fire Department, as saying the tower incident also ignited a nearby brush fire.
Back in February in the same general area north of Phoenix, vandals are suspected of cutting a CenturyLink fiber optic cable.
In that incident, tens of thousands of residents were left without television, Internet or cell service.
