BERLIN — Part of Frankfurt Airport’s power supply was cut off for several hours during the night after a dormouse caused a short-circuit at an electricity substation, officials said Tuesday. The power cut had only a limited effect on flights.
Energy company Syna said the rodent triggered the short-circuit around 10:45 p.m. on Monday, German news agency dpa reported. Electricity was cut off and the airport’s fire service was deployed due to the smoke that resulted from the incident. Power was restored around 3:20 a.m. and the dormouse was found dead next to the wire it had gnawed.
Airport operator Fraport said the effects on air traffic were limited because the incident happened shortly before flights ended for the night and was dealt with well before they started on Tuesday morning.
However, the airport said on social network X that “due to a technical problem, flight delays and cancellations can be expected … this morning.”
Eleven cancelations were announced on Tuesday morning, dpa reported. In all, 1,242 flights were scheduled Tuesday at Germany’s busiest airport.
Fraport said it has pest controllers in constant deployment but it isn’t possible to rule out incidents like this completely. Power to the airport comes from two separate suppliers and there are six substations.
A dormouse caused a partial power outage at Frankfurt Airport on Thursday, resulting in minimal impact on operations. The small rodent managed to chew through a power cable, leading to a disruption in electricity supply to certain areas of the airport.
Despite the unexpected incident, airport officials were quick to respond and were able to restore power to the affected areas within a short period of time. The outage did not have a significant impact on flight schedules or passenger services, with only a few minor delays reported.
Dormice are known for their habit of gnawing on cables and wires, which can sometimes lead to power outages and other disruptions. While this may seem like a minor inconvenience, it serves as a reminder of the importance of maintaining infrastructure and taking precautions to prevent such incidents from occurring.
In this case, airport authorities are reviewing their procedures to ensure that measures are in place to protect against future incidents involving dormice or other wildlife. This includes conducting regular inspections of power cables and implementing deterrents to prevent animals from accessing sensitive areas.
Overall, the partial power outage caused by a dormouse at Frankfurt Airport serves as a reminder of the unpredictable nature of wildlife and the importance of being prepared for any eventuality. Despite the disruption, airport officials were able to quickly resolve the issue and ensure that operations continued smoothly.
