WASHINGTON – D.C. energy company Pepco has admitted that a “fault in a degraded secondary cable” is to blame for the deaths of two dogs that were electrocuted while walking with their owners back in January.
One of those dog owners spoke to FOX 5, saying he is still grieving after his dog was killed in January in Northwest D.C.
A Tragic Day
What He Says:
Ben Mason is haunted by what happened. He was walking his dog Chili near the 1100 block of 19th Street, NW.
He told FOX 5 back in January that he believed Chili died after stepping on voltage. Another dog also died from electrocution and Pepco began an investigation.
The company shared the results of their investigation on Friday, saying that “a fault in a degraded secondary cable,” was to blame.
“While this degraded cable alone would not lead to voltage entering the environment, when combined with melting snow, de-icing salt, and debris in the manhole, it created a highly conductive environment. This condition resulted in the sidewalk and nearby objects becoming energized,” Pepco’s statement read, in part.
Mason said he was glad that the company investigated and found out what happened.
“I’m glad they went through the research like they said they would. The bottom line is that there was an issue. They are taking responsibility for it and ownership for it. I just wish it hadn’t been at my dog’s expense,” Mason said.
The backstory:
Mason’s dog, Chili, was a pure-bred English Lab. On a snowy day in January, Mason and Chili were out for a walk on 19th Street, NW, when Chili stepped on the sidewalk and immediately began having an uncontrollable seizure.
Owner devastated after dog gets electrocuted on DC sidewalk
There are still no answers about what led to the alleged electrocution and death of two dogs in a Northwest, D.C. neighborhood. One of the dog owners spoke with FOX 5's Bob Barnard today, as he continues to try to make sense of what happened to his beloved pet.
“She stepped on a sidewalk and went in a horrible seizure. Horrible. Uncontrollable. And she had never been that way,” Mason told FOX 5 back in January. “There were some bystanders that just heard the horrible screech and came running up and out of their buildings.”
Mason said a medical doctor in the area heard Chili's scream and ran across the street to help.
“A human doctor came out and checked her pulse and she was gone. I did take her to a vet to try some emergency measures on M Street and they did everything they could, they just couldn’t save her. It was awful,” Mason said.
No Legal Action Planned
What's next:
As of now, Mason says he does not plan to seek legal action against Pepco. He just wishes he had Chili back.
“The bottom line, I don’t have Chili anymore,” Mason said.
Pepco says crews inspected for more voltage issues in the downtown D.C. area and says crews didn’t find any. They say crews will continue to inspect, review and enhance it’s response to prevent voltage incidents.
READ PEPCO'S FULL STATEMENT BELOW
What they're saying:
On January 6, 2025, Pepco responded to two separate reports of injured dogs near 1140 19th St. NW. After thoroughly investigating the area, Pepco identified the presence of voltage and promptly made the necessary repairs to ensure safety. Our thoughts remain with the pet owners affected by this situation.
After the incident, Pepco conducted a comprehensive investigation to identify the cause, gathering insights from industry peers and third-party experts. The investigation revealed a fault in a degraded secondary cable. While this degraded cable alone would not lead to voltage entering the environment, when combined with melting snow, de-icing salt, and debris in the manhole, it created a highly conductive environment. This condition resulted in the sidewalk and nearby objects becoming energized.
Contact voltage is rare at Pepco but can occur if there are faulty conditions, leading to electrical current flowing through nearby metal objects, such as manhole lids or grates. Both stray voltage and contact voltage can be transmitted through grates, manhole covers, streetlights, and traffic signals.
Pepco inspects manholes and other infrastructure regularly for stray and contact voltage. Inspections are conducted by a third-party contractor and as part of their entry procedure they test the cover and/or grate for voltage. If voltage is ever identified on a Pepco manhole cover, it is prioritized for immediate resolution.
Our top priority is the safety of our customers, communities, and employees. As a result of this incident Pepco, working with Osmose an industry recognized leader in stray and contact voltage detection, conducted a 131 linear mile voltage detection sweep of downtown DC over the course of four nights to identify additional voltage issues. The sweep returned no stray or contact voltage on any of the company’s infrastructure. Pepco will continue to proactively review and enhance its response procedures to prevent voltage incidents. We are updating our reporting systems and training programs to continue to build on established practices for inspecting, detecting, and addressing stray and contact voltage issues.
