• We should now be fully online following an overnight outage. Apologies for any inconvenience, we do not expect there to be any further issues.

Blackout in NW DC?

UNCjigga

Lifer
Dec 12, 2000
25,586
10,282
136
Okay almost an hour ago I heard a loud "BOOM!" outside the apartment, looked out, didn't see anything. Ten minutes later there were fire trucks screaming down my street, so I figured somebody somewhere had a gas explosion. Well, now the power is out, but not just on my street. Its my whole neighborhood. I'm posting on my laptop with aircard, completely in the dark right now. Anyone else without power (or did anyone else in DC just stop posting?)
 

UNCjigga

Lifer
Dec 12, 2000
25,586
10,282
136
Originally posted by: oldsmoboat
Any looting there yet?
Haha, knowing my neighborhood (Columbia Heights, aka MLK riots) its bound to start sooner or later! I'm hearing lots of sirens all around, so hopefully that's a deterrent.

 

UNCjigga

Lifer
Dec 12, 2000
25,586
10,282
136
Originally posted by: LongCoolMother
terrorists
Funny thing, I can see the Capitol dome from my living room window, so when I looked out after the noise that's the first thing I looked at!

 

UNCjigga

Lifer
Dec 12, 2000
25,586
10,282
136
Originally posted by: Darkstar757
UNC I am in SW DC and power is still on for me.
Well that's good to know, I'm pretty sure its a block/neighborhood thing related to the noise I heard.

 

AMCRambler

Diamond Member
Jan 23, 2001
7,715
31
91
Probably just a cutout fuse inside one of the underground junction boxes blew. Maybe a transformer if fire trucks went by, those suckers can burn pretty good. If you're lucky it's a fuse and they'll have the power back on in an hour or two. If it was a transformer that's gonna take a lot more work unless they can energize you from another feeder.
 

UNCjigga

Lifer
Dec 12, 2000
25,586
10,282
136
Originally posted by: Casawi
Any idea of what happened?
No clue, talking to a friend who lives 6 blocks up the street and his area is fine--he didn't hear anything. He did say that they've had "exploding manhole covers" before. :confused:

 

sjwaste

Diamond Member
Aug 2, 2000
8,757
12
81
Originally posted by: UNCjigga
Okay almost an hour ago I heard a loud "BOOM!" outside the apartment, looked out, didn't see anything. Ten minutes later there were fire trucks screaming down my street, so I figured somebody somewhere had a gas explosion. Well, now the power is out, but not just on my street. Its my whole neighborhood. I'm posting on my laptop with aircard, completely in the dark right now. Anyone else without power (or did anyone else in DC just stop posting?)

The Ballston Mall was out last night, actually. I have a view east on Wilson and there was just a big dark spot w/ some cop cars parked out front, flashers on. Was really weird.

But I do know, at least in Georgetown, that because of the way they ran gas and electric through the sewers, sometimes an arc will blow some gas and shoot the nearest manhole cover straight up (they say never walk on them there). Power's usually out right after. Maybe it's like that up in the Heights too.

By the way, how do you like it there so far? I'm thinking about buying in DC in the next year or so, since Arlington is so expensive.
 

UNCjigga

Lifer
Dec 12, 2000
25,586
10,282
136
Originally posted by: biggestmuff
Nothing on WTOP's news website yet.

Here we go.

Got my power back while asleep, which is good since it was getting cold and I need my hot water for the morning shower!

Strangely enough, it really was an exploding manhole cover!