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Desert Hot Springs police and residents reported a power outage Monday, moments after seeing a bright flash that some compared to an explosion.
Two substations lost service, sending more than 7,200 Southern California Edison customers into the dark about 6:42 p.m.
Crews restored the power by 7:35 p.m. but were still working late Monday to figure out what caused the outage.
It affected customers in Joshua Tree, Landers, Morongo Valley, Twentynine Palms and Yucca Valley, utility spokeswoman Lauren Bartlett said.
Desert Sun readers reached out via Twitter, though, to ask about a bright flash that came from northwest, possibly near Joshua Tree.
“What was the big light explosion type thing?” Steve Crandall (@JayandSteve) asked. “Real bright flash.”
It lit up the sky immediately before a power surge that briefly left some Desert Hot Springs businesses and homes without power. Dispatchers also said stoplights along Palm Drive were out for nearly an hour.
SCE did not have record of any customers in Desert Hot Springs being without power, Bartlett said.
