SCE Says Wind-Launched Canopy Hit Wires, Triggered ELB Outage, At Its Height Affected 3,500+ SCE Accounts (We Estimate Likely 7,000+ Residents)

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(Sept. 22, 2016. 5:40 a.m., photo added 9:55 a.m.) -- SCE says a wind-launched canopy flew into electrical wires and triggered Wednesday's (Sept. 21) ELB power outage that at its height affected 3,595 of the utility's customers.

Area Marber/Pageantry. Photo independently captured by an area resident

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Since 3,500+ SCE customers refers to metered accounts, we unofficially estimate that at its height, the outage likely affected 7,000+ people (since many residences have at least two people.)

As of daybreak Thursday (Sept. 22), SCE's website indicated most customers had their power back...although 849 of its customers (likely 1700+ residents) remained affected in 90808 plus 271 (over 500 residents) in 90815.

SCE spokesman Paul Netter says the outage began at 1:45 p.m. SCE's website indicated that as of 10 p.m., the number of accounts affected had dropped to 1,824 in 90808 and 270 in 90815. Social network dispatches indicate many residents their power back before midnight Sept. 21...but as of 5:00 a.m. Sept. 22, SCE's website indicated the outage might continue until (utility estimated) 6 a.m. for 932 customers in 90808 (est. 2,000+ residents) and 271 (about 600 residents) in 90815.

SCE now indicates (7 a.m. hour Sept. 22) it estimates the remaining affected 849 customers (likely 1700+ residents) may have their power back by 8 a.m. in 90808 and in 90815.

At its height, affected neighborhoods stretched roughly from Lakewood Blvd. to Los Coyotes Diagonal and from Spring St. to Carson St. (and possibly some areas beyond), but from our observation the outage area wasn't continuous; it affected some blocks while leaving others nearby untouched. In the 2 p.m.-3 p.m. period, traffic lights were out at Woodruff/LCD and Bellflower/Mezzanine (not a complete list) while other intersections nearby were unaffected.