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VERIFY | Can Balloons Cause Power Outages?

A spokesperson for Duke Energy said around 12 people lost power on Sunday due to Mylar balloons getting into a power line. It even cause a small grass fire.
Balloons cause power outage in Stokes County. (Photos: Deb Seig)

KING, N.C.-- Balloons are the essence of almost every occasion, good, bad, or sad. We use them to decorate for parties, galas, at parades, vigils and at times we release them to remember a somber event.

But can those same beautiful, shiny, decorative balloons cause you to lose power?

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VERIFY: The answer is yes.

The balloon that can do the damage is the Mylar balloon. Those are the shiny metallic balloons that are all the rage, mainly because they're customized with messages and pictures.

This happened Sunday in Stokes County, Duke Energy confirmed. A spokesperson for Duke Energy said around 12 people lost power due to Mylar balloons getting into a power line. It even cause a small grass fire.

Deb Sieg took photos and shared them with WFMY News 2. She said a passerby stopped and alerted them that their grass was on fire.

Balloons cause power outage in Stokes County. (Photo: Deb Sieg)

Duke Energy said they don't have an exact number of times this happens in a year, but it's in the dozens. Interesting tidbit, they have the most in May and June because of graduations.

Mylar balloons (Photo: WFMY News 2)

In February a power company in Phoenix demonstrated what happens when a Mylar balloon comes into contact with a live power line.

WATCH: Power Company Electrocutes Valentine's Day Balloons to Make a Point

He advises that when using Mylar balloons, keep them secured and deflate them when the event is over.

We don't know where the balloons came that caused the outages Sunday in Stokes County, but looking at them, we know they were from a birthday celebration.

Sources: Duke Energy

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