‘Loud bangs, flames’ as bird causes CBD power outage chaos

A freak incident involving one bird has cut power to the CBD of a regional Queensland city where traffic lights are out and streets are being closed.

Police are directing traffic in Maryborough after birds have allegedly flown into powerlines.

Powerlines have fallen across a Maryborough street after a bird flew into them on Thursday morning.

The freak incident happened on Lennox Street and Ellena Street in Maryborough about 11am.

Police have since blocked Lennox Street between Alice and Kent Street and traffic is being redirected.

Traffic is being redirected. Picture: Stuart Fast

Police confirmed a “transformer was blown” and “traffic is really bad”.

Councillor Paul Truscott shared an image of the scene on Facebook and said he witnessed the incident.

“We happened to be on the town hall green at the time and there were two loud bangs with flames, then the powerlines fell down,” he wrote.

Traffic lights are out. Picture: Carlie Walker

Crews are currently working to restore power at the scene.

Parts of Maryborough, including the CBD, are without power.

The incident has damaged parked cars below the powerlines. Picture: Abbey Kassulke

Abbey Kassulke had parked her car along Lennox Street while she was at work, before the powerlines snapped from above and damaged her car.

“The lines snapped above my car, the fibres has cracked my windscreen and burnt the paint on my car,” she told the Chronicle.

Traffic lights in the area are also out, including at the intersection of Bazaar and Kent Streets, Bazaar and Ellena Streets and Alice and Lennox Streets intersection.

Ergon Energy has confirmed crews have been working to fix power for about two and a half hours.

At 11.06am, there were 528 customers without power, which was mostly resolved by 1.30pm.

However, 26 customers still remain affected.

The company has confirmed it was only one bird which caused the chaos.

The damages extended to underground resources, which crews are still repairing.

Motorists are urged to avoid the area.