A transformer explosion in North Lewiston knocked out electricity for more than 1,100 Avista customers Thursday evening, triggering a response from utility crews and local law enforcement across a wide stretch of the city.
The outage affected neighborhoods running from 21st and Main streets north toward 12th Avenue. Avista crews initially projected power would be back online by 11:30 p.m., but service was fully restored roughly an hour ahead of schedule, around 10:30 p.m.
Police Manage Traffic as Signals Go Dark
With traffic signals offline, Lewiston police officers moved to several busy intersections to direct vehicle flow. For approximately 30 minutes, drivers were required to treat affected intersections as four-way stops before officers arrived to manage the situation. Authorities noted that some officers may have simultaneously been responding to unrelated calls during that window. Once power returned, traffic signals came back online and conditions normalized.
This is not the first recent public safety disruption in the Lewiston area. A power outage affecting more than 1,100 customers in Lewiston was previously reported, and a shop fire left a building a total loss in Lewiston in a separate incident. Residents are encouraged to stay aware of local emergency updates as crews continue routine infrastructure work throughout the region.
What Comes Next
Avista has not released additional details on the cause of the transformer failure or whether aging infrastructure contributed to the incident. Residents in North Lewiston who experienced property damage or billing issues related to the outage are advised to contact Avista directly. City officials have not announced any follow-up review of traffic signal backup procedures, though Thursday’s disruption highlighted the coordination required between utility providers and the Lewiston Police Department during unplanned outages.