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A power line draped above I Street near Eureka High School shorted out in dramatic fashion this morning, sending sparks and smoke into the air as electricity danced across the cable. 

The footage above was send to the Outpost by Nadia Eberman, who captured the light show from her parked car. She said drivers stopped before passing under the live wire, and the Humboldt Bay Fire Department responded to the scene.

Commenters online diagnosed the event as a phase-to-phase short, which occurs when two conductors in a three-phase system make direct contact. Such short circuits can create a massive surge of current, triggering intense arcing, bright flashes, loud bangs and significant heat.

The zapped line did cause a power outage along a block of I Street, though it only affected 14 customers, according to PG&E.