A problem with a light pole at Tiger Stadium caused two outages and a venue switch during Friday’s football match between Morgan City and Jeanerette high schools.

The exact electrical problem was being identified late this morning, but St. Mary Parish School Board Maintenance Supervisor Brad Wiese said a ballast or frayed wire in one of two light poles caused a burnt fuse which in turn tripped a breaker in a main power panel under the stadium.

The equipment in question is roughly 50 years old, he added.

While those on the field reported the smell of smoke, Wiese said there was no fire. The smell, he said, came from the burnt fuse in the power panel.

The first outage came at 7:16 p.m. and lasted for 40 minutes. Power again was lost at 8:12 p.m. and caused the game to be completed at Geisler Stadium in Berwick. Play resumed at 8:55 p.m. and concluded around 11:15 p.m.

Wiese said Central Catholic High School should have no problems for its homecoming game scheduled for Friday at Tiger Stadium.

At worst, he said, one or two light poles may be powerless Friday, depending on the extent of the damage found while crews work this week.