Downed power line leads to hours-long electricity outage to Vero Beach airport, businesses
A fallen utility line led to a nearly six-hour power outage at the Vero Beach Regional Airport along with hundreds of homes, businesses, traffic lights and even a fire station Friday, police and fire officials said.
Electricity was restored shortly before noon after utility crews finished repairs to what both fire and police officials said was a downed power line at 47th Avenue and 26th Street, reported shortly before 6 a.m.
“A power line went down and caught the grass on fire,” said Indian River County Fire Rescue Assistant Chief Steve Greer.
Fire crews were called to the fire at 5:51 a.m., Greer said.
Florida Power and Light reported 287 were without power just before 11 a.m.
Damage to utility equipment was listed as the cause of the outage.
The airport and nearby businesses along with streetlights on a roughly 2-mile stretch of Aviation Boulevard between 47th Avenue and U.S. 1 were all affected, said Vero Beach police spokesperson Kelsea Marty.
Restaurants including C.J. Canon's at the airport and Nettie's roadside Restaurant on 27th Avenue at Aviation Blvd., were without electricity for breakfast and closed for the mealtime.
Indian River County Fire Rescue Station 3 just north of 26th Street off 43rd Avenue also lost power and operated by generator throughout the outage, Greer said.
“They were on generator power for a while,” he said. “We’ve got backup power at all the stations that run the entire station.”
The operations at the station, Greer said, were not affected.
It’s unclear why the power line fell.
The power equipment sits just outside Vero Beach city limits.
More: How much wind, rain did Idalia bring to the TC, and what happened to that return loop?
More: Indian River School Board members getting death threats after Monday's meeting over books
More: Florida snook season opens: What you need to know, plus 20 best spots and best bait, lures
Corey Arwood is a breaking news reporter for TCPalm. Follow Corey on Twitter(X) @coreyarwood, or reach him by phone at 772-978-2246.
This article originally appeared on Treasure Coast Newspapers: Downed power line leads to hours long electricity outage to Vero Beach airport, businesses
