Balloon Wiped Out Power For 4,300 Residents In Wauwatosa

WAUWATOSA, WI— A metallic foil balloon knocked out power for 4,300 customers in Wauwatosa on Thursday evening near 92nd Street and Hawthorne Avenue.

We Energies told Patch a mylar balloon came into contact with a power line causing the outage.

“Our crews were able to restore power in a little over two and a half hours. We know that it is frustrating to be without power and we appreciated our customers’ patience while we safely and quickly restored service,” a We Energies spokesman said.

We Energies reported 26 incidents in 2020 of balloons, according to a WISN 12 report.

Here are some We Energies tips to help keep your family safe and the power on:

• When possible, keep balloons inside.
• Never release balloons outside.
• Make sure all balloons are tied securely to a weight that’s heavy enough to keep them from flying away.
• When you’re done with balloons, let the air out and throw them in the trash.
• Never try to retrieve a balloon that has become entangled in a power line.

If you spot a balloon stuck in We Energies equipment, call at 800-662-4797.