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Tucson Fire responds to smoke near TEP crews restoring power to thousands

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TUCSON, Ariz. (KGUN) — In the parking lot across from Corbett’s on Fifth and Seventh, TEP crews fixed power lines many feet above the ground.

It was all to fix a power outage that affected over two thousand people in midtown and downtown.

Daniel Matlock was working near where TEP crews were working and heard a commotion.

“We heard a couple of loud pops. Actually about two or three,” he said.

TEP said the outage was most likely caused by strong winds that damaged overhead lines, but now the power is back for everyone.

They also said they responded to other weather-related outages in the area on Monday.

“It brought down all of our computer servers, telephone systems, lighting, everything,” Matlick said.

That means he had to send about 20 of his workers home.

“It impacts the productivity, things happen,” he said.

Coincidentally Matlick is the CEO and president of United Fire Equipment Company, which supplies fire departments with breathing apparatuses and fire extinguishers. They also supply sprinkler systems for commercial businesses.

He said his workers put out a smaller fire earlier Wednesday related to the outage.

“Fire extinguishers is just part of our business so they grabbed some fire extinguishers and put the fire out before it could spread,” he said.

Later in the afternoon smoke started coming out of a roof on Fifth and Seventh. Multiple fire engines and fire vehicles rushed down the road to the scene.

The Tucson Fire Department said a sprinkler system kept the fire from spreading and downed power lines were what caused the fire.

Ted Reyes works as a maintenance worker at the Hut nearby and said their power went out. He saw downed power lines in the alley.

“Very shortly after that the emergency people were already on scene and blocking off that alley so people couldn’t come down it,” Reyes said.

The Tucson Fire Department said nobody had any injuries.

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Andrew Christiansen is a reporter for KGUN 9. Before joining the team, Andrew reported in Corpus Christi, Texas for KRIS6 News, Action 10 News and guest reported in Spanish for Telemundo Corpus Christi. Share your story ideas with Andrew by emailing andrew.christiansen@kgun9.com or by connecting on Facebook, or Twitter.