A VOLATILE meeting attended by about 150 people in the Toodyay Memorial Hall last Saturday overwhelmingly supported a motion of no confidence in a report by EnergySafety WA.
The report absolved Western Power from responsibility for the disastrous bushfire on December 29 which destroyed 38 houses as well as other property.
Only one hand was raised in opposition to the motion.
The meeting which lasted over two hours was in two sections – the first when the director of EnergySafety Ken Bowron answered mainly hostile questioning and the second when Western Power’s chief executive Doug Aberle faced the meeting.
It was chaired by recovery coordinator Councillor Charlie Wroth who said both men had volunteered to come to Toodyay and called upon those present to “be respectful”.
It was a struggle as there were clearly audible mutterings from the crowd.
There was universal disappointment that blame for the fire was not sheeted home to Western Power by the report.
EnergySafety found that the fire started in a paddock on the south side of River Road near the intersection with Folewood Road west of Toodyay.
A Western Power line runs through the paddock.
The report found that the fire had not been caused by any power poles falling or a pole top fire.
There was clear evidence of recent arcing between power lines (conductors) about 14m from one of the power poles and the report stated that arcing generates heat.
“This heat causes melting of the conductor metal, with possible welding of the conductors and the formation of very hot, molten metal globules falling to the ground, that may ignite a fire,” the report said.
The report went on to say that testing had indicated that clashing of the conductors was extremely unlikely and that there was no direct evidence the arcing occurred on the day of the fire.
It was more likely that some conductible material had bridged the two conductors, according to the report.
“The cause of the arc marks could not be determined nor could it be determined if they contributed to the cause of the bushfire,” the report stated.
It was this conclusion which most angered the meeting and led to the heaviest questioning of Mr Bowron.
“The only thing that could cause a fire in that paddock is the power line,” one man said.
“A civil court case is decided on the balance of probabilities and the court will decide,” another member of the audience said. “We don’t appreciate your opinion.
“Because you cannot pinpoint this, it does not mean it did not happen.”
People present also claimed the testing had drastically underestimated the wind speed when the fire started with many claiming it was “cyclonic”.
Mr Bowron said if anyone had further evidence, he would be willing to take account of it. “We cherish our independence,” he said.
Mr Abele received gentler handling.
“I am relieved but not happy,” he said. “It would be a lot easier if there were an obvious cause and we were that cause.”
Some in the audience claimed that Mr Abele created a belief in television interviews that Western Power was responsible.
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