I fail to understand how it took 3 minute to de-activate the circuit once a fault was identified. I have been informed that high voltage lines have circuit breakers that kick out in milliseconds and that the current draw required to make them kick out is extremely low - around 5 amps. I would have thought that balloon contact with a HT line would initiate immediate circuit de-activation. I wonder what the "alarm" is, that is fitted to the line, that merely indicates "a fault", but which alarm still keeps the circuit live?