A Richmond, Virginia, homeowner finally had a low-hanging Comcast wire fixed after he said months of calls failed to get the problem resolved.
The wire was left dangling above Brad Armstrong’s driveway after a large tree fell across Cherokee Road in late February and knocked down utility lines, according to 12 On Your Side.
After the road was cleared, Armstrong said he noticed the line was hanging far too low over the driveway. Dominion crews told him they could not raise it because it belonged to Comcast.
12 On Your Side reported that the wire was hanging about 6 feet above the driveway. The station cited 15.5 feet as the basic clearance for a wire above a driveway.
Armstrong was worried about more than getting a vehicle in and out. He said a fire truck, emergency crew, or service truck might not be able to reach the house if the line stayed that low.
The Homeowner Said He Called About 15 Times
Armstrong said he and his wife repeatedly contacted Comcast for months.
A technician eventually came out, called the problem an emergency, and said a bucket truck would be sent. Armstrong told 12 On Your Side that no one showed up after that visit.
“We probably called Comcast 15 times,” Armstrong told the station.
The Wire Was Fixed After Local-TV Help
Armstrong contacted the On Your Side Investigators after the problem remained unresolved.
The station reported that Comcast responded immediately after being contacted. Within a couple of hours, a crew was sent to Armstrong’s home, nearly four months after the tree fell.
Armstrong said crews told him they had received a call from headquarters about an hour earlier to get the job done.
Low Lines Can Block More Than A Driveway
A sagging cable line may not look like the same hazard as a downed power line, but it can still become a serious access problem when it hangs across a driveway.
Delivery trucks, contractors, ambulances, fire crews, tree crews, and utility workers all need enough room to get onto a property safely. A line hanging at vehicle height can delay that access or put drivers in a difficult spot.
OSHA warns people not to assume a downed wire is harmless simply because it appears to be a telephone, television, or fiber-optic cable. Homeowners should not try to lift, move, or drive through a low line themselves.
If a line is hanging over a driveway, road, sidewalk, or yard, the safer move is to take photos from a distance, report it to the utility or cable company, keep a record of each call, and contact emergency services if the line appears dangerous or blocks access to the home.