Mylar balloon stuck in power line took KVIA’s transmitter off the air

EL PASO, Texas -- A Mylar balloon that got stuck in a power line triggered an electrical outage on the mountain that caused ABC-7's transmitter to go dark for a couple of hours on Wednesday.

KVIA's over-the-air signal was off during early evening newscasts, which also impacted Comcast cable customers in Las Cruces as well as Dish Network satellite users throughout the Borderland.

Those watching in El Paso on Spectrum cable and DirecTV satellite were unaffected - and KVIA.com continued to stream all newscasts online.

Service was restored by 7 p.m.

Officials say it’s the metallic on Mylar balloons that causes outages.

To reduce the risk of outages caused by Mylar balloons, El Paso Electric offers these tips:

• Keep metallic and all other types of balloons indoors and away from overhead power lines.  Even non-metallic balloons can become entangled in lines and cause an outage.
• Always attach a weight to metallic balloons.  Keep them tethered at all times.
• Always deflate metallic balloons and dispose of them when no longer in use.
• Always assume power lines are live. Always keep yourself, your equipment and all other items, including toys, at least 10 feet away from power lines.
• If a Mylar balloon—or any object—becomes entangled in an overhead power line, call El Paso Electric. Never try to remove it yourself.