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Hot Night Becomes Hotter After Thousands Lose Power In Metro Detroit

Weather 6-17-14 (MOsborne)
Downed tree snaps power line in Royal Oak. (WWJ/Marie Osborne)

DETROIT (WWJ) - A hot night got a little hotter for about 18,000 DTE Energy customers who lost power Tuesday evening.

Part of the outage was traced to cable failure in the Royal Oak and Oak Park areas as roughly 4,000 customers lost power for several hours.

DTE Spokesperson Erica Donerson said the outages can be linked to a substation in Oakland County as they work to restore power to about 14,000 customers.

"We have approximately four-thousand customers that (were) without power in the Royal Oak and Oak Park area and that's actually due to a cable failure at one of our substations," said Donerson.

Donerson said that crews are working now to restore power to as many customers as possible before morning.

Erica Donerson says most of the outages are located in southern Oakland County and the rest are scattered throughout southeast Michigan.

Storm tips to keep in mind should you lose power:

  • Don't open refrigerators or freezers more often than absolutely necessary. A closed refrigerator will stay cold for 12 hours. Kept closed, a well-filled freezer will preserve food for two days.
  • Turn off or unplug all appliances to prevent an electrical overload when power is restored. Leave on one light switch to indicate when power is restored.
  • Always operate generators outdoors to avoid dangerous buildup of toxic fumes.
  • If a customer is elderly or has a medical condition that would be adversely impacted by a power outage, they should try to make alternative accommodations with family or friends.
  • During low-voltage conditions – when lights are dim and television pictures are smaller – shut off motor-driven appliances such as refrigerators to prevent overheating and possible damage. Sensitive electronic devices also should be unplugged.
  • · Stay out of flooded or damp basements or other areas if water is in contact with outlets or any electrically-operated appliance. The water or moisture may serve as a conductor of electricity. This can cause serious or even fatal injury.

Customers can report an outage, check on the status of an outage, and view our outage map, all from their smart phones. Customers also may call DTE Energy at (800) 477-4747 to report power outages or downed lines.

Additional information on the storm – including an online Power Outage Map from DTE [HERE]

Know before you go: Keep it tuned to WWJ Newsradio 950 for traffic and weather, every 10 minutes on the 8s. Check the CBS Detroit weather page for the extended forecast and up-to-the-minute information.

 

 

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