Semi-truck damage forces San Jose outage

San Jose firefighters and PG&E shut off power to thousands of customers on Thursday after a semi-truck with a damaged axle came to rest beside a utility pole near South First Street and East Alma Avenue. The San Jose Fire Department said the truck, carrying about 78,000 pounds of scrap metal, was at risk of rolling over and striking the pole. PG&E cut power as a precaution, and officials said 7,000 to 8,000 customers could be affected for at least three hours. Traffic was closed around the intersection, and a nearby Sacred Heart Community Service building was evacuated as crews worked to stabilize the truck. ### How did a damaged axle turn into a power shutoff? The San Jose Fire Department said crews were called at about 9:25 a.m. on May 21 to the area of South First Street and East Alma Avenue after the truck’s axle was damaged and the vehicle was at risk of tipping. Fire officials said the semi could hit a nearby power pole if it rolled. KTVU reported the driver ran into trouble while making a turn onto East Alma Avenue, and the cause of the axle damage was under investigation. (nbcbayarea.com) No injuries were reported. ### How many people lost power, and for how long? PG&E’s precautionary shutoff initially affected thousands of customers in neighborhoods around downtown and south of downtown San Jose. NBC Bay Area and the San Jose Fire Department said the outage was expected to last at least three hours and affect roughly 7,000 to 8,000 people. (nbcbayarea.com) CBS Bay Area reported about 7,000 customers were without power after the lines were shut down around 1:20 p.m. (ktvu.com) KRON4 later reported that power had been restored to customers who lost service earlier in the afternoon, but a separate outage then affected 3,770 PG&E customers during restoration work. Bay City News, published by SFGATE, said PG&E’s outage map listed an estimated restoration time of 8 p.m. for that later outage. ### What was happening at the scene in Spartan Keyes? (nbcbayarea.com) The intersection of East Alma Avenue and South First Street was closed in both directions as San Jose firefighters, police, PG&E and the city’s Department of Transportation worked in unified command, according to the fire department. Officials urged drivers to use alternate routes while tow crews moved into position. Sacred Heart Community Service, at 1381 First St., was evacuated as a precaution because it sits next to the incident scene, Bay City News and local television reports said. (kron4.com) KTVU reported that two tow trucks were brought in to secure the semi. ### Did the truck actually hit the pole? The semi-truck did not overturn, according to KTVU, which reported that the vehicle remained upright even as it leaned precariously near the pole. (nbcbayarea.com) Fire officials said the hazard had been stabilized by the afternoon, and KRON4 reported the truck was expected to be towed from the scene around 2 p.m. Bay City News reported shortly before 5 p.m. that the truck had been stabilized and a tow truck was working to remove it safely. (ktvu.com) That update followed hours of traffic closures and outage management around the intersection. ### What should residents and drivers watch next? PG&E’s outage map was the utility’s public source for restoration timing Thursday evening, while the San Jose Fire Department continued to post scene updates as towing and traffic control continued. (kron4.com) Officials had not reported injuries, but they kept the area around South First Street and East Alma Avenue closed while the truck was removed and power work was completed. (sfgate.com)