UPDATE: City Light discovers what caused the brief, widespread power outage in West Seattle

| Utilities | West Seattle news

8:05 PM: At HQ here in Upper Fauntleroy, we lost power a few minutes ago for something more than a flicker. Checking around on Twitter, other areas – Morgan Junction, South Delridge, Gatewood, for starters – confirmed it happened there too. And via scanner, we’re hearing a report of something that sounded like “an explosion” near Delridge/Thistle – emergency responders are checking.

8:18 PM: Still a mystery. We went to Delridge/Thistle to look around, nothing in view, power on. No outages have turned up on the SCL map. Strange because in our decade-plus of tracking outages, almost invariably, a flicker in one place accompanies an outage elsewhere. We’re attempting to reach a City Light spokesperson.

8:31 PM: Just talked to an SCL spokesperson. They don’t know what caused it either, but have crews headed this way to investigate.

9:35 PM: City Light says their crews found out what happened: “The cause was due to a blown lightning arrester (equipment failure).”

Rocky March 24, 2018 (8:07 pm)

Yeah, just got hit down here by Lincoln Park. Whole house went dark for a few seconds. Power back on now.

KayK March 24, 2018 (8:07 pm)

Also happened in Highland Park!

HP gal March 24, 2018 (9:06 pm)

Yep, at our place too. We’re not too far from Thistle/Delridge and heard a loud sounding noise right when it went out.

Carol March 24, 2018 (8:07 pm)

Yes, still waiting for Comcast services though. Never mind, Comcast just came back on.

Jamie Clark March 24, 2018 (8:08 pm)

Lost power for maybe 15 secs here in highpoint

Katie Day March 24, 2018 (8:08 pm)

Our power went for about three minutes and then returned. Over in Highpoint Neighborhood.

H March 24, 2018 (8:09 pm)

Out in Westwood.

WSB March 24, 2018 (8:10 pm)

So you’re still out? SCL map isn’t showing any actual outage anywhere … yet. Be sure to call if you haven’t already! 206-684-3000.
- Charlie March 24, 2018 (8:17 pm)
  
  In also in Westwood. Went out for a short time, but power returned.
- H March 24, 2018 (8:30 pm)
  
  Everything’s back on.

JM March 24, 2018 (8:10 pm)

Yep. It hit the Highpoint neighborhood as well.

JFaye March 24, 2018 (8:11 pm)

Same here at Sullivan/39th. Out for longer than a flicker, but back on now.

Jack March 24, 2018 (8:12 pm)

Don’t worry, it’s just some foreign country that Trump has PO’d hacking our electrical system.

WSB March 24, 2018 (8:18 pm)

Not funny. But not explained yet, either. Meantime, on Twitter, someone points out that the annual Earth Hour starts at 8:30.
Rocky March 24, 2018 (8:42 pm)

That’s pretty funny.

C March 24, 2018 (8:12 pm)

Ditto here in Fairmount Park. A couple of flickers and then back on.

Dave Herrick March 24, 2018 (8:14 pm)

Yes, in Gatewood

Dave Herrick March 24, 2018 (8:32 pm)

sorry, like others flicker, then back on…

Wsrez March 24, 2018 (8:14 pm)

Fairmount park out for like 10 seconds back in. First time we’ve ever lost power in this home.

Jason R Winston March 24, 2018 (8:16 pm)

Power was out just long enough to rest every digital clock in my house. Yay! Back on now in the north Lincoln park area.

JanS March 24, 2018 (9:06 pm)

and a report of a fire down on Harbor Island way out at the end on the 911 log as of 8:42pm…everything fine here near 42nd SW and Admiral Way…quiet, quiet
- WSB March 24, 2018 (9:08 pm)
  
  Every unit but A(id)-14 was code-greened within minutes, so the fire isn’t much of anything. And as I typed this, A-14 went back in service too, so the call is totally closed.
JanS March 24, 2018 (9:07 pm)

don’t you just hate when power goes out just long enough to screw up all the digital clocks?

Chris Stripinis March 24, 2018 (8:21 pm)

Just a quick flicker or two here on Roxbury.

miws March 24, 2018 (8:21 pm)

Everything’s been fine here on 16th between Henderson & Barton in S. Delridge!

Mike

Kayzel March 24, 2018 (8:22 pm)

Completely out for a couple of minutes in northern High Point. All back on now.

Max March 24, 2018 (8:22 pm)

Yep, hit here off of thistle near sealth. Definitely heard something that sounded maybe like a transformer or something. It was only out for about 30 seconds then everything came back online.

Timothy C Andres March 24, 2018 (8:24 pm)

Yeah, it looked like a transformer arced out. Happened right next to me while I was driving North on Delridge. Thought it was a firework or something – huge white light and sparks. Scared the poop out of me…