14 DAY TRIAL // Squirrels do crazy things, and sometimes can wreak havoc through their actions. Reports say that one tiny squirrel caused a lot of damage to an Indiana community center after it got into the electrical equipment of the building, which was due to open in June.
According to Fort Wayne Parks Department officials, the errant animal caused a power surge and damaged the HVAC (heating, ventilation, and air conditioning) systems and parts of the boiler system of the McMillen Community Center, located in McMillen Park. Officials estimate that the total cost of the repairs will ascend to $300,000 (€217,000).
Unfortunately, the incident was fatal for the poor squirrel.
The McMillen Community Center is still under construction and its big opening is set for June 7, so the company responsible for the HVAC systems is working to repair the damage so that the center can still open on that date.
The former McMillen Ice Arena is being transformed into a community center with basketball courts, an indoor track and other activities, as part of a $2 million (€1.44 million) renovation project.
The Independent mentions that this is not the first incident in which a squirrel causes damage to electrical equipment. In 2011, for instance, a fiber network company called Level 3 Communications revealed that 17 percent of the annual damage suffered by their network was caused by squirrels.