Snake causes fire and blackout at South Carolina electricity substation
June 2020Published 17 Sept 2026Responsible editor: Chief Editor
- Where
- Cowpens substation, Upstate South Carolina
- Operator
- Broad River Electric Cooperative
- What
- Snake contacted equipment and started fire in zone B controls
- Injuries
- None reported
- Cause
- Snake entered while hunting for bird nests or seeking warmth
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Companies named in the reporting of this entry (being named is not a finding of fault): Broad River Electric Cooperative
What happened
A snake entered the Cowpens substation operated by Broad River Electric Cooperative in Upstate South Carolina and came into contact with high-voltage electrical equipment. According to the cooperative, this caused a flash that started a fire in the substation's zone B controls, destroying them. The cooperative posted photographs showing the electrocuted snake and the damaged equipment. About 680 people lost power, according to a local broadcaster cited in the report. The cooperative suggested the snake had most likely entered the substation while hunting for bird nests and eggs, and may also have been seeking warmth. No injuries were reported.
Contributing factors
A snake gained access to high-voltage equipment inside the substation, most likely while searching for bird nests or seeking warmth, leading to an electrical flash and a fire in the control equipment. No further investigation findings were reported.
Lessons learned
- Snakes can reach high-voltage equipment in substations and cause flash fires in control cabinets, so operators should fit mesh or barriers around zone B controls and similar cabinets.
- Wildlife seeking nests or warmth can trigger outages, so operators should remove bird nests from substation structures and check for gaps that allow snakes inside.
More lessons on spacing, layout and fire spread, from every incident on the register.
Not yet known
- Turbine model and age
- Cost of the damage
- Length of the power outage
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Source
Published 2026-09-17. Written from public reporting. Descriptive, not investigative. See the data accuracy disclaimer.
