Around 6,800 customers were reported without power around Volunteer Park and northeastern Capitol Hill on this blustery and damp Friday afternoon.
Seattle City Light said it was investigating the outage first reported around 2:30 PM and spreading across neighborhoods on both sides of I-5.
911 callers reported loud bangs and a possible transformer explosion near Franklin Ave E at E Howe St. Meanwhile, there were scattered reports of downed trees across the area including on Lake Washington Blvd near the lake.
Seattle City Light did not report an immediate cause for the equipment issues but was reporting a 6 PM estimated restoration of service.
UPDATE: The map as of 6:50 PM
Elsewhere in the city, a demonstration by the Tigrayan diaspora community “against the nearly 2-year long genocidal war committed against the people of Tigray, Ethiopia” was reported in Central Seattle with some protesters reportedly entering freeway onramps. UPDATE: Northbound I-5 is reported fully blocked by the protest and accompanying vehicles. “All northbound lanes on I-5 in downtown #Seattle are blocked for an incident. Both EB/WB I-90 off-ramps to NB I-5 are closed,” WSDOT reports. “Four mile backup right now. Please use alternate routes at this time, and expected congestion.” UPDATE 3:50 PM: While backups remain, WSDOT reports that the freeway is now reopened after protesters agreed to leave the roadway.
UPDATE 6:50 PM: Power has been restored to all but around 1,800 customers along the St. Mark’s Greenbelt.
UPDATE 7:05 PM: Oops! Repairs continue and the outage area is again without power.
UPDATE 7:11 PM: Annnnd the lights are back on again for many in the area — wait for an official announcement from City Light before you get too comfy.
UPDATE 11/5/2022 7:25 PM: City Light crews worked overnight to restore power for the remaining swaths of outages with many customers still without electricity until around 3 AM.
The outage has been blamed on a tree branch falling on a wire setting off the transformer explosion reports earlier in the day.
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10:00 pm and still no power along 10th, with no estimated return from City Light. It’s been almost eight hours now.
A ceasefire/peace accord was signed by the Ethiopian government and Tigray officials two days ago, so why the protest now?
Well, that was fun Friday night. Big thanks to the teams at Single Shot, Cornelly’s, Sun Liquors, and Summit Tavern for scrambling to accommodate an overflow of neighbors. I heard Harry’s Fine Foods also had power and was busier than usual. It’s a bright spot that these dependable small businesses were able to profit during the outage.