Two dogs were electrocuted and later died in the same spot the same evening in Northwest D.C. News4 spoke to one of the dogs’ owners.
After two dogs appeared to be fatally electrocuted while walking in Northwest D.C., Pepco said in a statement on Friday its investigation found there was “a fault in a degraded secondary cable.”
In early January, the Humane Rescue Alliance told News4 it received calls about two dogs dying after being allegedly electrocuted at the same spot in front of 1140 19th St. NW, a few blocks south of Dupont Circle.
The first dog, King, suddenly collapsed while on a walk in the area. King’s owner, Neko Williams, told News4 he could feel mild electrical shocks coming from the ground. A stray dog was later found dead in the same spot, according to the Humane Rescue Alliance.
“After thoroughly investigating the area, Pepco identified the presence of voltage and promptly made the necessary repairs to ensure safety,” the energy company said. “Our thoughts remain with the pet owners affected by this situation.”
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While a degraded cable alone would not lead to the electrocutions, certain conditions created “a highly conductive environment,” Pepco said, citing melting snow, de-icing salt and debris in a manhole.
“This condition resulted in the sidewalk and nearby objects becoming energized,” Pepco said.
Pepco added that contact voltage is rare, but contact voltage and stray voltage can still be transmitted through metal objects including grates, traffic signals, streetlights and manhole covers when there are “faulty conditions.”
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“Pepco inspects manholes and other infrastructure regularly for stray and contact voltage,” the energy company said. “Inspections are conducted by a third-party contractor and as part of their entry procedure they test the cover and/or grate for voltage. If voltage is ever identified on a Pepco manhole cover, it is prioritized for immediate resolution.”
Pepco said that because of the incident, they worked with Osmose — a company that specializes in detecting stray and contact voltage — to do a 131 linear mile voltage detection sweep of Downtown D.C., which showed no contact or stray voltage.
“Pepco will continue to proactively review and enhance its response procedures to prevent voltage incidents,” the energy company said. “We are updating our reporting systems and training programs to continue to build on established practices for inspecting, detecting, and addressing stray and contact voltage issues.”
