In a Sacramento incident, a tree branch came crashing down, causing power outage in a local residence. Determining liability for repair is now the question at hand.

In the heart of California's capital, a homeowner named Korben Boaz has been left powerless for nearly a week following a city tree toppling a power line. The incident occurred last Friday, leaving the house smelling like a scene straight out of "The Walking Dead" when the housemates returned on Monday.

The city tree, belonging to the city, is the culprit that caused the power outage. The City's Urban Forestry section of Public Works is responsible for the maintenance of street trees in the public right-of-way and trees located on city property.

SMUD, the local utility company, left a note with phone numbers outlining the next steps, which includes hiring an electrician to fix the equipment. However, the cost burden for the power line remains unclear, with a city spokesperson suggesting it could be a shared responsibility between SMUD and the homeowner's insurance.

Korben Boaz has been on a mission to find a solution, visiting three different departments within the city, including the City of Sacramento Clerk's Office. Our Sacramento reached out to the city about the incident, asking about responsibility for fixing the power line.

After questions from our13, the city provided a claim form for reimbursements in situations where property has been damaged by a city tree. The party responsible for costs caused by a fallen city tree damaging a power line and affecting a public building is typically the owner of the tree or the city itself if it is a municipal tree. Liability depends on whether negligence or failure to maintain the tree led to the damage, and the responsible party may be liable for repairs and consequential damages.

Despite these developments, Korben Boaz took matters into his own hands and hired a private electrician to fix the equipment, costing him $7,500. The power at the home is contingent on a city inspection and approval for SMUD to complete the job.

This incident serves as a reminder of the potential risks and costs associated with city trees and power lines. As the city works to resolve this issue, homeowners are encouraged to be aware of their responsibilities in maintaining their private power connections.

Madisen Keavy reports weekdays on our13.