Wildfire takes out transmission lines in Labrador town [Video]

St. John’s –

The western Labrador town of Wabush is still without electricity after a wildfire knocked out power to two transmission lines running from the generating station in the town of Churchill Falls.

Jordan Brown, the NDP’s member of the legislature for the area, says that while the nearby town of Labrador City is getting electricity from Quebec, there is no connection to get that power into Wabush.

He says without electricity to run municipal pumping systems, people in Wabush must boil their water — but Labrador City businesses and organizations are stepping up to help.

Brown says the local Iron Rock Brewery is offering free filtered water, and the Salvation Army is offering meals and a place for people to charge their electronic devices.

The power went out in Labrador City and Wabush Tuesday afternoon after a wildfire near Churchill Falls, about 250 kilometres east, jumped a river and got close …