REDLANDS OUTAGES: 'Fault Dragged the Whole System Down in That Area'

Update 2:11 a.m. An arching flash was visible for miles Tuesday night when Edison equipment tripped in Loma Linda and in Redlands near the Mountain View power station, causing outages to hundreds, according to Redlands Fire Chief Jeff Frazier.

"There were no signs of anyone tampering with equipment observed," Frazier said in an email early Wednesday. "We received no reports of damage or injuries."

Loma Linda and Redlands Fire units responded to multiple ringing alarms and and at least one elevator rescue probably related to the outage, Frazier said.

Captain William Conway with Engine 264 "reported that he and his crew witnessed the flash near the Mountain View power station as they were returning from a previous emergency response," Frazier said.

"He advised that the arching flash was very evident and could be seen from miles away," Frazier said. "The crew immediately observed power out in the east end of the City and we quickly had dispatched all of our units to incidents apparently related to the outage."

Posted 10:11 p.m. A surge or fault in the Southern California Edison system left hundreds without power Tuesday night in the Redlands area, a utility spokeswoman said.

"The call came about 8 p.m.," Edison spokeswoman Nancy Rodriguez Casanova said in a phone interview.

The resulting surge affected customers in Redlands, San Bernardino, Highland, Yucaipa, and Calimesa, Rodriguez Casanova said.

"A fault on the system, it dragged the whole system down in that area," Rodriguez Casanova said.

As of 9:30 p.m., there were 800 customers without power, Rodriguez Casanova said.

Initially there were 17,238 without power in the Redlands area. Outside Redlands, there were dips, flickering lights, and momentary breaks in internet connections, Rodriguez Casanova said.

All power was restored by 9:45 p.m., the utility spokeswoman said.

But Loma Linda University Medical Center was running on backup generators as of 10 p.m., Rodriguez Casanova said.

"They are working closely with the Redlands substation," Rodriguez Casanova said. "The substation is in touch with them."

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