ROCHESTER, N.Y. — Low-hanging wires damaged huge farm equipment, adding to a growing problem across the area.

News10NBC Chief Investigative Reporter Berkeley Brean climbed onto a combine to show the damage at Krenzer Farms. Last week, News10NBC investigated low wires ripped down by garbage trucks, and when the Krenzer family saw that story, they reached out to report they face the same problem.

Damage from the low wire

Marie Krenzer helped her son back the combine out. Brean then followed Doug Krenzer up to the top of the machine.

“So this piece was cut down to here and was folded in on itself,” Doug Krenzer said pointing to the repairs on the hopper.

“This was all because of that low hanging wire,” Brean said.
“Yes,” Krenzer said.

The Krenzers took photos that show how low the wire is and how it sliced through the fiberglass of the combine. Marie Krenzer then took Brean to the farm field where it happened.

“We’re heading west on North Road,” Marie Krenzer said.

At the field, the lowest wire is still damaged.

“And as you can see it crosses into our field where we plant,” Marie Krenzer said.

“Either it needs to be fixed so that we don’t cause damage, either to the line or to our equipment, or we’ve lost a certain amount to our field that we’re able to produce on,” Krenzer said.

“Was this a problem before that line went up,” Brean said.
“No. Not here in this spot, no,” Krenzer said.

It’s happened before

Krenzer believes this is a newly-added Frontier fiber optic line. Two weeks ago, a tractor trailer hit low wires in Greece, pulled down the poles and knocked out power to hundreds of homes. Every email and phone call News10NBC makes to Frontier goes unanswered.

“I’m in Blue Ponds, site of our first story on this. So the brand new taller pole is up but those low hanging wires haven’t changed,” Brean said.

The Blue Ponds story aired Friday. Neighbors documented the low wire damage over the last year including garbage trucks that catch them and tear everything down. They say Spectrum and Frontier were there taking photos over the weekend.

“I’m sure you’ve tried to reach out to Frontier to deal with this. Any response from them,” Brean said.
“We’ve gotten no response,” Marie Krenzer said. “So I didn’t know where to turn and I saw you do your piece on the Blue Pond and I know it was related so I reached out.”

The Krenzers say the repair costs just for the parts is somewhere between $15,000 and $20,000. If you’re aware of a low-hanging wire that caused damage, email 10investigates@whec.com.

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