Image: BC Hydro
Power outage

Over 1,500 Chilliwack customers lost power Sunday night after vehicle struck pole, female driver reportedly in custody

Aug 25, 2025 | 6:36 AM

CHILLIWACK — Over 1,500 customers in Rosedale and the surrounding area lost power Sunday night after a vehicle struck a hydro pole on Yale Road, and the driver was reportedly taken into custody.

According to BC Hydro’s online dashboard, 1,510 customers lost power Sunday night at 8:10 p.m. due to a motor vehicle incident in the 48200 block of Yale Road.

The impacted areas consisted primarily of Rosedale, along with Little Mountain and parts of Fairfield Island.

Chilliwack Fire Department crews were dispatched at approximately 8:10 p.m. for the report of a motor vehicle incident. Firefighters radioed dispatch to say the pole had snapped. A section of Yale Road was reportedly closed, according to nearby residents.

A picture on Facebook showed a damaged pole leaning at a 45-degree angle along Yale Road.

Image: Facebook / A damaged hydro pole in the background along Yale Road.

Scanner traffic also indicated a female driver was in custody of RCMP, though it’s not known if she was formally arrested. Fraser Valley Today has reached out to the Chilliwack RCMP detachment for comment.

A Chilliwack resident told Fraser Valley Today there were reports that multiple RCMP officers responded to the motor vehicle incident.

“There is 6-7 police units here now; my neighbour said the driver tried to run off,” a resident told Fraser Valley Today. “I have no evidence of this, but this many police for a 1-car MVI (motor vehicle incident).”

BC Hydro estimated that power would be reinstated by 1:10 a.m.

As of 6:30 a.m. Monday morning, BC Hydro’s online dashboard no longer shows any power outages in Chilliwack.