Inexperienced worker inspected powerline that caused Black Saturday bushfire, court hears Emily Portelli Herald Sun March 05, 2013 7:26PM
THE damage caused by a lightning strike to the powerline that sparked a deadly Black Saturday bushfire which killed 119 people was so small it was undetectable, the Supreme Court has heard.
Jonathan Beach, QC, for electricity provider SPI Electricity, said no reasonable inspector could have noticed the microscopic damage that experts say occurred prior to the February 7, 2009 fire.
"Of course lightning is a known risk... the issue for Your Honour is whether the lightning damage on this line was detectable or not,'' Mr Beach said today during his opening argument on the second day of the Kilmore East-King Lake bushfire class action.
He said there was no rational reason why the company would have replaced the line or installed $6 vibration dampers to reduce the impact of wind on the line, which would not have made a difference during the extreme weather conditions of Black Saturday.