Packing a punch
Severe storm causes several power outages in Yuma
Thousands of people were without power on Friday afternoon and into the evening when a severe thunderstorm ripped through Yuma County, causing several power outages and scattered property damage.
According to APS spokesperson Bob Charles, a total of 2,603 customers in Yuma and Somerton were without electricty for several hours, resulting from as many as six power outages.
“These outages are all weather-related and all due to downed power poles,” Charles said.
The largest of the outages
happened at about 3:16 p.m. in Yuma and affected 1,322 customers.
It’s boundaries extended from 12th Street to 24th Street and 3rd Avenue to Interstate 8, which included the Yuma Sun office building. That area was expected to have power restored by 8 p.m., although some customers were back on sooner.
Additionally, 661 customers also lost power between 8th Street to 24th Street and Castle Dome to Avenue 3E.
Another outage from 6th Street to 20th Street and Arizona Avenue to Lee Drive affected 149 customers, who lost their power at about 3:23 p.m.
The smallest of the outages was located at 9th Street to 10th Street and 6th Avenue to 5th Avenue, leaving 20 customers without electricity.
Power to these areas wasn’t expected to be restored until 8 p.m. also.
The outage in Somerton happened at approximately 3:15 p.m., knocking out power to another 451 customers.
It’s boundaries stretched from County 15th Street to Highway 95 and Cesar Chavez Avenue to Avenue E. This area was expected to have power restored by 7:45 p.m.
Charles said APS crews were working to restore power at all these locations.
Fire Chief Paul De Anda said the Somerton Cocopah Fire Department responded to five emergencies in the span of just 25 minutes during the storm.
He said high winds, along with rain and hail, resulted in a transformer arcing in the 500 block of East Main Street. The transformer arcing was followed by the power meter for a business also arcing.
Firefighters advised the store’s staff to evacuate the premises until APS was able to make repairs.
While returning to the station, firefighters were then called to a power line down and arcing to the rear of a residence on the 700 block of N. Somerton Avenue.
When firefighters arrived on scene they advised the home owner to remain in his home and shelter in place, while they cordoned off the alleyway and area surrounding the downed power line.
This was followed by two female motorist becoming stranded due to high water shutting down their vehicles motor in heavy traffic. Firefighters helped the motorist push the vehicle out of traffic and onto a side street.
Firefighters were then called from this incident to the Municipal Court House for water leaking onto the main meter box to the building.
Once on scene, they secured the main power switch so that the meter would not short out due to the heavy amount of water entering into it.
The fifth and final call was the result of power going out throughout the city. This call for assistance was for an employee trapped on the second floor in an elevator at 950 E. Main Street.
When firefighters got there they used a elevator door release key to free the employee, who was only trapped for about 10 to 15 minutes.
Prior to the storms hitting, the National Weather Service issued a sever thunderstorm warning for San Luis, Somerton, Yuma, Winterhaven and Andrade.
The advisory warned that radar had detected a severe thunderstom over Somerton, moving east at 15 m.p.h. with wind gusts expected up to 60 m.p.h and penny-sized hail.
Yuma police did not report any storm-related damage within the city, but Rural/Metro spokesperson Charly McMurdie did say firefighters responded to several downed pole calls.
Rural/Metro firefighters also responded to an apartment complex in the 2300 block of 15th, which had downed power lines across the backyards of four of the units.
“All of the occupants were advised to seek shelter elsewhere.
“The apartments were evacuated and all of the occupants were advised to seek shelter elsewhere ,” McMurdie said. “It looks like quite a bit of damage was done. No one was allowed to stay until repairs can be made.”
An awning from a business two doors down was also blown over by the high winds and damaged a gas meter to one of the apartments, which happened to be unoccupied.
Both APS and Southwest Gas were notified.