Mylar balloon sparks power outage in Kissimmee

KISSIMMEE, Fla. – Kissimmee Utility Authority is warning customers after a Mylar balloon sparked a power outage in Kissimmee on Monday.

KUA officials said a balloon release knocked out power to 339 homes in Kissimmee after it touched power lines in the community of Siesta Lago.

Helium-filled balloons made of Mylar, a metalized nylon substance, can float into power lines, causing damage, according to a release from KUA.

Crews also removed three additional balloons from utility wires Monday morning.

Officials issued safety rules for handling metallic balloons:

• Be sure to secure a helium-filled balloon with a weight heavy enough to prevent it from drifting away.
• Never bundle metallic balloons together.
• Keep metallic balloons indoors and never release them outside.
• Never attach metallic streamers to any balloon, whether it’s latex or metallic.
• Do not attempt to retrieve a balloon, or any foreign object, tangled in power lines. Instead, call KUA at 407-933-9898 to report the problem.