Over three thousand Duke Energy customers found themselves in the dark on Monday afternoon when a construction mishap in south Charlotte led to widespread power outages. The disruption occurred just after 3 p.m. near Providence Road and Pineville-Matthews, as reported by QC News. In a delicate interplay of construction and utility that turned perilous, a worker struck a powerline, prompting the subsequent blackout.
On the scene, the Mecklenburg EMS Agency fielded a call about an electrocution, but, in a fortunate turn, the involved construction worker declined ambulance services to the hospital, pointing to no serious injuries sustained, WNCT detailed. Duke Energy, faced with damaged equipment, gauged the situation and decided to sever power to the affected grid until repairs could be made.
The energy supplier managed to tackle the issue, restoring electricity to the majority of the area before dusk settled. "Power was restored for most before 7:30 p.m.," a Duke Energy statement assured the affected customers. Meanwhile, residual effects lingered on the roads, with the Charlotte Fire Department announcing lane closures to accommodate the flurry of repair activity, as reported by WNCT.
