Ellsworth, Bucksport phone service cut when car hits pole

ELLSWORTH – An accident in which a car hit a pole was being blamed Sunday for interrupted phone service to some Verizon customers in Hancock County, according to a Verizon official. Emergency 911 calls in Bucksport also were affected.

Verizon spokesman Peter Reilly said Sunday afternoon that interrupted phone service to parts of Ellsworth and Bucksport was caused by an accident in which a car hit a utility pole around 2 or 3 a.m. in Ellsworth.

Ellsworth Police Department had no supervisors on duty Sunday and would not release information about the accident.

But Reilly said phone service between Bucksport and Ellsworth was interrupted after the accident caused a power line to come into contact with a Verizon phone line.

“It was caused by the power line burning through our cable,” Reilly said Sunday. “We’re hoping to get [the phone service] restored sometime tonight.”

Reilly said he did not know how many customers had been affected by the interruption.

Bucksport area residents in need of police, fire or ambulance services were being asked Sunday to dial 461-2932 or 469-7951 for the local Bucksport dispatcher instead of 911, according to Hancock County 911 operators. Hancock County’s Regional Communications Center, which answers 911 calls, is in Ellsworth.