ST. GEORGE — About 5,000 people were without power after a car crashed into a power pole at the intersection of Riverside and River Bend Friday afternoon.
City of St. George Communications Director David Cordero told St. George News at 5:15 p.m. that crews have been able to restore power to most customers, and by 6 p.m., the city was back at full power.
“The East Ridge and Flood Street substations have been restored,” he said in a text to St. George News. “The breaker at the third substation is still open and crews are continuing to work to restore power to that. That affects a couple hundred customers. So we are most of the way back.”
Just before 5 p.m. Friday, Cordero had provided the following update:
“A vehicle ran into one of the steel poles at the intersection of Riverside and River Bend Drive. Two substations are out right now, and a breaker at a third substation is open. Crews are working on it right now. We don’t have a great timetable for restoration, probably a couple of hours.” Cordero added. “We are going to try to isolate and bring the majority back in sooner rather than later.”
At the scene of the crash, St. George Police Public Information Officer Tiffany Mitchell said the man who hit the power pole was not injured.
“He told people on the scene that he fell asleep and just didn’t navigate that turn,” she said.
The original incident reported at approximately 4:30 p.m. set off a chain of incidents around the city at the intersection where traffic lights were not working.
“We had about 10 crashes on the screen,” Mitchell said of the emergency call logs. “Five or 6 of them being personal injuries. Cars that aren’t yielding, not stopping like they should — it’s dangerous when the lights are out like that, especially in a big intersection.”
Several St. George News and Canyon Media employees were reporting no power in their homes near Dixie High School, at Harmons at the corner of 700 and River Road and several businesses along River Road.
Traffic lights around the city also were down, and St. George Police are responding to crashes at 100 and East Tabernacle, 100 South 200 East and River Road and Foremaster.
Updated: 5:06 p.m., Sept. 29: Traffic lights around town are beginning to come back on, according to St. George News reporter Mori Kessler.
Updated: 5:14 p.m., Sept. 29: Add Cordereo’s comments about power being restored.
Updated: 6:20 p.m., Sept. 29: Power fully restored by 6 p.m.
St. George News staff Joseph Witham, Mori Kessler, Vin Cappiello and Haven Scott contributed to this report.
Photo Gallery
Damaged power pole at the site of a crash at Riverside and River Bend reportedly responsible for power outage, Sept. 29, 2023 | Photo courtesy of St. George Police Department, St. George News Damaged power pole at the site of a crash at Riverside and River Bend reportedly responsible for power outage, Sept. 29, 2023 | Photo courtesy of St. George Police Department, St. George News Scene of crash Friday near the intersection of the Riverside and River Bend where damage to the power pole and lines caused a power outage, Sept. 29, 2023 | Photo courtesy of Erin Stubbs Tapia, St. George News A power pole down caused 5,000 residents to be without power in St. George, Utah, Sept. 29, 2023 An incident near 100 East and Tabernacle Drive in St. George, Utah, Sept. 29, 2023 | Photo by Joseph Witham, St. George News An incident near River Road and 700 South in St. George, Utah, Sept. 29, 2023 | Photo by Mori Kessler, St. George News
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