What should I do if a tree branch falls on the electrical service line coming into my Toronto house?

If a tree branch falls on your electrical service line, treat it as a life-threatening emergency and do not touch anything — stay away from the line, the branch, and any wires on the ground.

The service entrance cable running from the utility pole to your home carries 240 volts at high amperage. A branch on that line can sag it to a dangerous height, pull the weatherhead off your roof, damage the service entrance cable insulation, or bring the line down entirely. Any of these situations is potentially lethal.

Your Immediate Steps

Call 911 first if the wire is down or sparking. A downed power line on the ground or draped over a tree is an active electrocution hazard. Stay at least 10 metres away — electricity can arc through the ground (called step potential) and kill you without direct contact. Keep children and pets inside. Do not drive over a downed wire.

Call Toronto Hydro at 416-542-8000 for any service line emergency in the City of Toronto. If you're in Mississauga, Brampton, Markham, or other 905 municipalities, contact your local utility (Alectra Utilities covers most of the 905 area). Toronto Hydro operates 24/7 for emergencies and is responsible for everything from the utility pole to your meter base. They will send a crew to assess and secure the line — this service is their responsibility, not yours.

Do not go into your attic, onto your roof, or near the weatherhead. The weatherhead is the curved pipe where the service entrance cable enters your home. If a branch has pulled on the line, the weatherhead may have been partially dislodged, and the connections inside can be energized and exposed. This is not something to inspect yourself under any circumstances.

Turn off your main breaker if it is safe to do so — meaning you can reach your panel without going near any downed wires or damaged areas. Shutting off the main breaker protects your appliances from voltage fluctuations and surges if the line is intermittently contacting the branch. If there is any doubt about safely reaching your panel, leave it alone.

What Happens Next

Toronto Hydro will assess the damage and determine what is their responsibility versus yours. Generally: Toronto Hydro owns the line from the pole to the point of attachment at your home. You own the weatherhead, the service entrance cable from the weatherhead into your meter base, and everything from the meter inward.

If the branch has damaged the service entrance cable, pulled the weatherhead off the fascia, or cracked the meter base, you will need a licensed electrician to repair your side before Toronto Hydro will reconnect power. This is a very common scenario after Toronto ice storms and summer wind events. The repair typically involves a licensed electrician replacing the weatherhead and service entrance cable and coordinating the reconnection with Toronto Hydro — expect costs in the $800–$2,000 range depending on the extent of damage, and an ESA permit will be required for any service entrance repairs.

GTA-Specific Reality

Toronto's ice storms are the worst-case version of this scenario. The 2013 ice storm caused catastrophic damage to service entrance cables across the city, and electricians were booked weeks out for weatherhead and service entrance repairs. If you're dealing with storm damage, call early — both Toronto Hydro and licensed electricians get overwhelmed quickly after major weather events. Having a relationship with a local electrician before an emergency is genuinely valuable in this city.

Never attempt to remove the branch yourself, never touch the line, and never assume a wire is de-energized just because the power appears to be off. Lines can be re-energized remotely without warning.

Toronto Electrical Repair can match you with a licensed electrician for emergency service entrance repairs. Find local electricians through the Toronto Construction Network at torontoconstructionnetwork.com/directory?trade=electrical.