Out-of-Control Giant Gas Bag Wreaks Havoc...
Posted: Wed Oct 28, 2015 9:16 pm
And for once it isn't Donald Trump:
http://www.mcall.com/news/breaking/mc-n ... story.htmlRunaway NORAD blimp is down near Williamsport after knocking out power to thousands
The military surveillance blimp that broke free of its mooring at a U.S. Army base in Maryland is on the ground and has been secured Wednesday afternoon, Pennsylvania State Police say.
The blimp landed in the area of Muncy, near Williamsport, according to Bob Reese, a state police spokesman in Montoursville.
TV station WNEP tweeted out a photo of the blimp, which appeared to have landed in a tree. The blimp earlier knocked out power to thousands after passing through the Bloomsburg area.
Nearly 18,000 PPL customers in Columbia County and another 9,000 in Schuylkill County remain without power as of 3:45 p.m., according to the utility.
PPL said the blimp's trailing tether line reportedly damaged multiple electrical system facilities in Columbia and Schuylkill counties.
"We will work as quickly and safely as possible to repair the damage and restore all service," said Dave Bonenberger, PPL's vice president for distribution operations, in a statement.
PPL is continuing to assess the situation and is working to switch many affected customers to other circuits.
The power outages prompted Bloomsburg University to cancel classes for the rest of the day.
Earlier, witnesses reported seeing the blimp drifting between Jerseytown and Turbotville, a sparsely area north of Harrisburg. Its tether was snapping power lines.
Pennsylvania Gov. Tom Wolf's office released a statement saying it was monitoring the situation.
