Community Corner

Update: Boom! Multi-Agency Response to Novelty Hill Downed Power Lines

That loud boom last night heard all the way in Woodinville? It could have been a power issue near Novelty Hill.

This story was written by Jeanne Gustafson with reporting by Lisa Baumann.

That loud boom last night heard all the way in Woodinville? It could have been a power issue near Novelty Hill.

Update 10:30 a.m.: Redmond Fire Capt. Thomas Langton told Patch multiple agencies assisted with dealing with downed power lines in unincorporated Redmond that snarled traffic and caused several small fires Tuesday evening, July 2.

Four fire engines and 15 firefighters, including three from Redmond and one from Woodinville, responded to the scene, located in King County Fire District 34, extinguishing three grass fires and a fire at the base of the affected power pole that reached 6-8 feet up the pole, Langton said.

Once the fires were out, roads remained closed while Puget Sound Energy dealt with power lines down on the roadway. King County Sheriff's Deputies and Redmond Police assisted with directing traffic and King County Road Department closed surrounding roads.

About 3,000 homes and businesses were without power, including Redmond Fire Station No. 13, which was operating on a backup generator for several hours, Langton said.

Puget Sound Energy is still investigating the cause of the downed lines.

Original post ---

Puget Sound Energy said a line went down in the Novelty Hill area of unincorporated Redmond Tuesday evening, July 2, possibly causing a small brush fire as well, and 3,100 residents and businesses were without power until early this morning. 

A PSE Spokesman said an "alley arm"--a T-shaped pole that holds the power lines-- failed and a line fell. Redmond firefighters were on the scene to put out a brush fire possibly started by the downed line. The outage occurred on the 21200 block of Novelty Hill Road, according to the King County Road Department.

A loud boom was heard in Woodinville and quite the chatter erupted on the Woodinville Facebook page about what the cause could have been. 

Karna Penner said "Happened in front of my friends house in Redmond. Power line snapped at the top. Power was out for a while. Blue flash of light and that huge explosion everyone is talking about."

A Patch reader reported that a number of businesses, including grocery stores and Redmond Ridge businesses, were without power, but PSE said it did not have a report on the number of businesses affected.

People were caught in traffic snarls throughout the evening commute. King County Road Services Spokeswoman Rochelle Ogershok, said the department helped with temporarily closing the road for as long as it took PSE to make repairs.

Contrary to some reports, the cause of the downed line was not a car hitting a pole, but likely a weakened or aging pole.


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