A transformer explosion in North Lewiston left more than 1,100 Avista customers without electricity Thursday evening, disrupting traffic signals across a wide stretch of the city and prompting a police response to busy intersections.
The outage affected neighborhoods from the 21st and Main streets corridor north toward 12th Avenue. Avista crews initially projected power would return by 11:30 p.m., but restoration came roughly an hour ahead of schedule, with service back online around 10:30 p.m.
Officers Direct Traffic During Signal Outage
With traffic signals dark across several key intersections, Lewiston police moved in to manually direct vehicles. For approximately 30 minutes, motorists were left to treat affected intersections as four-way stops. Officers eventually cleared the scene once signals came back online, though authorities noted some units may have been responding to separate calls during the same period.
The incident is the latest in a string of power disruptions affecting Lewiston residents in recent weeks. Avista serves a large portion of the Lewiston-Clarkston Valley, and outages of this scale can ripple quickly through residential and commercial areas alike.
No injuries were reported in connection with the explosion or the traffic disruptions it caused. The cause of the transformer failure had not been formally released as of the time of reporting.
What Comes Next
Avista is expected to assess the damaged equipment and determine what repairs or replacements may be needed to prevent a recurrence. Residents in the affected corridor are encouraged to monitor Avista’s outage map for updates on system status. Anyone with information on public safety incidents in the area can contact Lewiston police directly.