Police were called out to a heated argument in Northern Cambria between contract workers, union members on strike, and a nearby resident whose business is suffering without Verizon internet service. 

 

Fingers are being pointed on both sides, but this is more than a matter of how long it’s taking to restore internet and, in some cases, phone service to the area. 

 

Hastings Borough Police Chief Ron Sharkey said this all started a couple of weeks ago when they got a call for criminal mischief at a Verizon pole.  The fire department told him wires were pulled away from the pole and dirt was dug out around the bottom so weeds would not also catch fire.

 

The circumstances lead them to believe this pole was intentionally set on fire. 

 

They later found a previous call for a Verizon transformer fire was the result of some more tampering with equipment.  The motherboards inside the box were shorted, but there was no sign of forced entry.  Chief Sharkey said that means someone had the keys to get in.

 

The workers on strike were there Tuesday because they said they followed the contractor out to the job.  It was by chance they showed up at the same pole that is being investigated. 

 

They said it is no surprise it is taking awhile for the job to get done.  Verizon has 1,000 contractors covering for 40,000 people on strike.

 

“I’ve been here 17 years,” said Verizon Maintenance Splicer Greg Walls. “I’ve seen things catch on fire. People shoot them, people run them over, people hit them with lawn mowers and dump trucks and back hoes. I mean, the stuff gets damaged every day, but you would never normally notice it because we come out and take care of it.”

 

Police are not yet sure who may have tampered with the Verizon equipment.  Again, these incidents are being investigated as criminal mischief.

 

The Verizon workers on strike said they have nothing to do with it.  They just want to get back to work.