Work on Electrical Line Cuts Power to Businesses

Electrical power was interrupted about 9:15 a.m. Thursday to nearly two dozen major commercial customers in the central Hollywood area, apparently caused by crews working on a 34,500-volt line under Hollywood Boulevard.

“Not sure exactly what the problem was,” said spokeswoman Mindy Berman of the Los Angeles Department of Water and Power. “But they needed to (shut down) the line (at 7080 Hollywood Blvd.) in order to check on it.” She said that 22 large commercial customers were affected, but no residential users.

High-rises, small shops, shopping centers and traffic lights all were left in the dark. Radio stations in the area switched to backup emergency power, and some people were trapped in elevators. But there were no reports of injuries, and power was restored at 9:40 a.m., Berman said.