A beaver bit a critical fiber-optic cable, causing "extensive" damage and interrupting Internet service for approximately 900 customers in Tumbler Ridge, BC.

In a statement, Telus spokesperson Liz Sauvé wrote that in a "very strange and unique Canadian incident," staff found a beaver chewing on cables at multiple points, causing the Internet to be paralyzed at around 4 AM on Saturday.

"Our team found a nearby dam. The beaver appeared to be digging underground next to the creek to reach our cable. The cable was buried about 3 feet underground and protected by a 4.5-inch-thick conduit. The beaver chewed the conduit first. Then chew the cable in multiple locations," the statement said.

Sauve said that a photo on the site appeared to show beavers using Telus materials to build houses. She said the image shows the fiber marker strips on the top of their dam, usually buried in the ground.

The staff brought additional equipment and technicians to help expose the cables and determine the extent of the damage to the line.

The statement said the conditions were challenging because the ground above the cable was partially frozen.

The company said it fully resumed service at around 3:30pm Pacific time on Sunday. It has warned that cell phone services in the area may malfunction until the cable is repaired.

Tumbler Ridge is a municipality in northeastern British Columbia with a population of approximately 2,000 people.

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