From the Palm Springs Desert Sun::

Outages interrupt debate coverage

Staff reports

October 4th, 2000

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DESERT HOT SPRINGS -- Two power outages hit Desert Hot Springs on Tuesday while many throughout the country watched the presidential debate or the American League divisional playoff game.

About 6:30 p.m., a transformer behind Stater Bros. at 13-200 Palm Drive in Desert Hot Springs caught fire and burned several wires, Southern California Edison spokesman Steven Conroy said.

Initially, about 1,800 neighbors nearby lost their power.

An hour and a half later, a second outage occurred and about 10,000 customers were out of power for less than a half-hour.

The area affected by the second outage was bordered by Pierson Boulevard to the north, Camino Aventura to the south, West Drive to the west and Miracle Hill Road to the east.

Edison officials could not immediately determine if the two outages were connected.

By 8:30 p.m., only a small number of people located near the transformer fire did not have their power restored.

The Desert Hot Springs Police Department reported no accidents as a result of the outage.

-- PHO (owennos@juno.com), October 04, 2000