Update: ‘Cable failure’ blamed for West Seattle power outage

(WSB photo from 35th/Barton during the outage)
ORIGINAL 6:56 AM REPORT: No idea if it’s related to the chopper/police activity, but now we have a power outage. Reports include Arbor Heights, Fauntlee Hills, Westwood. Lights are out along 35th in Henderson/Barton vicinity.

7:05 AM UPDATE: The City Light status map says the outage is affecting about 3,000 homes and businesses. Cause not listed so far. The City Light map shows the same trajectory from which we are getting WSB’er reports – Sunrise Heights, south along 35th into Westwood, a bit of Gatewood, Fauntlee Hills, Arbor Heights. We’re driving the area – the Fauntleroy business district has power.

7:24 AM UPDATE: Lot of people asking about schools in the outage area. We have no direct info, will be trying to make calls, but if you have any firsthand info of a school’s status, please post it in comments, which we are monitoring while info-seeking. Still don’t know the outage’s cause.

7:34 AM: Denny and Sealth both appear normal – power on, people coming and going. En route to check area elementaries. Reader reports in comments say Gatewood Elementary and Our Lady of Guadalupe both have power. Westside School too.

7:41 AM: Widespread reports in comments, and on Twitter, that power has come back. (Let us know if you are still out.)

7:47 AM: At least part of Arbor Heights appears to still be affected. We’ve just arrived at AH Elementary and they appear to be out – we’re looking for someone to talk with.

7:53 AM: We found a teacher who wasn’t sure yet what their plans were for dealing with this. We’ll be checking back with them in a bit.

8:02 AM: City Light now says “fully restored.” Via Twitter, they blame a “cable failure” and say they are still working to finish repairs. (If you do NOT have your power back, let us know …)

8:18 AM: We went back to Arbor Heights and their power is on, all’s well.

8:57 AM: City Light’s Scott Thomsen kindly looked up the exact location of the failed underground cable for us, just in case you’re interested: “The cable failed along Roxbury Street between 30th Avenue SW and 34th Avenue SW.”

53 Replies to "Update: 'Cable failure' blamed for West Seattle power outage"

  • catlady May 5, 2011 (6:58 am)

    Our lights flickered 3 or 4 times about 10 minutes ago. We’re at 38th & Alaska in the triangle.

  • CB May 5, 2011 (6:59 am)

    Our power went out around 6:50am this morning. We are on 35th and Holden

  • Oliver May 5, 2011 (7:00 am)

    No power at 36 and Austin

  • mjb May 5, 2011 (7:03 am)

    power is out here too–34th and henderson.

  • bebecat May 5, 2011 (7:04 am)

    My lights flickered @ that time too. I am in the North Admiral District

  • bs May 5, 2011 (7:05 am)

    Any word on power outages at the schools, Denny & Sealth?

  • Walker May 5, 2011 (7:07 am)

    37th + Henderson no power

  • CabanaMom May 5, 2011 (7:07 am)

    Power out in parts of Westwood Village too.

  • Jasperblu May 5, 2011 (7:07 am)

    Our power is out too (Trenton & 41st Ave SW, in Fauntlee Hills). Not fun to wake up to. :(

  • Chris May 5, 2011 (7:08 am)

    No power on 31st & Trenton

  • joe May 5, 2011 (7:08 am)

    Power out 9800 block of 30th SW.

  • Kassy May 5, 2011 (7:09 am)

    I LOVE WSB! First to get the info out always!

  • Alice May 5, 2011 (7:09 am)

    No power on west side of 34th near OLG, but east side of street has power.

  • Phil May 5, 2011 (7:11 am)

    Power out at Holden and Delridge.. City Light outage hotline lists 1:30 PM as estimated fix time :(

  • KJM May 5, 2011 (7:11 am)

    Does anyone know if Chief Sealth and Denny are affected.

  • AnnA May 5, 2011 (7:11 am)

    39th & Austin as well. Thankfully the coffee was already made!

  • Tilly May 5, 2011 (7:13 am)

    Does anyone know is SSCC is without power too? Just trying to figure out if the campus would be closed.

  • Cami May 5, 2011 (7:14 am)

    Flickered on Alki, too. Thought I just wasn’t awake yet!

  • david May 5, 2011 (7:17 am)

    Power hasn’t wavered at 32nd and Othello. But wondering about Arbor Heights Elementary.

  • Oliver May 5, 2011 (7:23 am)

    Anyone know about gatewood elem or fauntleroy childrens center?

  • mike flynn May 5, 2011 (7:27 am)

    Oh.

  • Kim May 5, 2011 (7:28 am)

    Also no power at 36th and Kenyon.

  • Chris May 5, 2011 (7:28 am)

    No joy 9900s 31st sw
    Thanx wsb!

  • JenF May 5, 2011 (7:30 am)

    Power is on at Our Lady of G.

  • lou May 5, 2011 (7:30 am)

    Gatewood elem has power

  • Greg May 5, 2011 (7:31 am)

    Denny Middle School has power (called them).

    • WSB May 5, 2011 (7:35 am)

      Thanks. My husband just went by and came to the same conclusion. Sealth fine as well :) – TR

  • M May 5, 2011 (7:37 am)

    Power just came back on at 26th and holden.

  • flowerpetal May 5, 2011 (7:37 am)

    Lights just came back on west of Westwood!

  • Ms. Picky May 5, 2011 (7:38 am)

    Power back on at 36th & Henderson!

  • sarah May 5, 2011 (7:39 am)

    Power back on!

  • Sue May 5, 2011 (7:39 am)

    I just heard that Westside school is open as usual.

    • WSB May 5, 2011 (7:40 am)

      Thanks, Sue.

  • Hock May 5, 2011 (7:40 am)

    Fauntleroy children’s center does NOT have power. Staff member said they can’t accept kids until power is back on.

  • Phil May 5, 2011 (7:40 am)

    Power back at Holden & Delridge..

  • Melissa May 5, 2011 (7:42 am)

    power out at 32nd ave sw and 100th

    • WSB May 5, 2011 (7:44 am)

      Thanks. Co-publisher just arrived at Arbor Heights Elem. which appears to be OUT and he’s looking for someone to talk with – TR

  • Renee May 5, 2011 (7:44 am)

    My husband says he is still without power in Arbor Heights!

  • Ted May 5, 2011 (7:46 am)

    Power is back on in the 9300 block of 31st Ave. SW.

  • Kassy May 5, 2011 (7:47 am)

    Power still out in 34th and roxbury. Heard the radio say pse doesnt know the cause yet.

    • WSB May 5, 2011 (7:48 am)

      Yes, we have reported that. It’s City Light, not PSE – they handle gas. Thanks for 34th/Roxbury update.

  • LG May 5, 2011 (7:49 am)

    Power still out at Arbor Heights Elementary…no morning YMCA…

  • lisa187 May 5, 2011 (7:51 am)

    Power is still out at 34th and roxbury.

  • Kassy May 5, 2011 (7:53 am)

    Oh! :) my bad! Lighrs juat came back on!! Thanks city light!

  • lisa187 May 5, 2011 (7:53 am)

    And now its back on at 34th and roxbury!

  • Hmoney May 5, 2011 (7:53 am)

    Hooray! I can blowdry my hair! 31st and 97th.

  • LG May 5, 2011 (7:57 am)

    C’mon City Light…work your magic…

  • MargL May 5, 2011 (7:58 am)

    Yay – right after power came back on we had 2 SPU trucks go north past our house up 34th towards 104th. Got the computer on just in time to see the SPU tweet that it was a ‘cable failure’.

    • WSB May 5, 2011 (8:00 am)

      City Light tweet now says “fully restored.” Let us know if you are NOT …

  • RobertSeattle May 5, 2011 (8:07 am)

    Was the outage map accurate? Every time I clicked on it showed no outages.

    • WSB May 5, 2011 (8:17 am)

      RS – It was accurate to what we were seeing in the field, though obviously we couldn’t be everywhere at once.

  • LG May 5, 2011 (8:10 am)

    What about Arbor Heights Elementary…they’re not answering their phone…

    • WSB May 5, 2011 (8:17 am)

      Hi. They are also back on. So all’s well.

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