Blown transformer. Photos by Stephen K. Peeples.

Friday, April 13, 2012

Continuing Road Closures

* Mount Wilson-Red Box Road from Video Road to Angeles Crest Highway

* Lower Big Tujunga Canyon Road from Vogel Flats Road to Angeles Forest Highway

* Angeles Forest Highway from Angeles Crest Highway (Hwy. 2) to Aliso Canyon Road

* Upper Big Tujunga Canyon Road from Angelest Forest Highway to Angeles Crest Highway

Update 7:33 p.m.

HOV lane open, three regular traffic lanes blocked, northbound 14 Freeway at Agua Dulce Canyon Road following rollover crash of Ford Ranger pickup. Driver alert and walking around.

A tree is blocking San Francisquito Canyon Road at Spunky Canyon Road.

Update 6:17 p.m.

Snow is starting to stick to the roadway on Interstate 5 in the Fort Tejon area over the Grapevine. CHP is providing escorts.

Update 5:10 p.m.

Traffic signals at Soledad Canyon Road and Crossglade Avenue are still out; signals at Soledad and Langside are flashing red. All other signals believed to be working.

Heavy rain and hail in Fort Tejon area up the Grapevine.

Update 3:47 p.m.

Power has been restored near the intersection of Soledad Canyon Road and Crossglade Avenue, where lightning struck an Edison transformer around 11:15 a.m., knocking it and an adjacent transformer out in front of the Taco Bell restaurant.

Edison officials are still in the area to ensure that all equipment is working normally.

Update 1:36 p.m.

All northbound lanes of Sierra Highway north of Crown Valley Road in Acton are closed due to major erosion.

Update 12:25 p.m.

Power is out for approximately 3,344 customers in the Whites Canyon/Plum Canyon area. According to Southern California Edison’s website, power is expected to be restored by 1 p.m.

Photo by Stephen K. Peeples

A utility pole near the intersection of Soledad Canyon Road and Crossglade Avenue caught fire Friday morning when a transformer blew after a possible lightning strike.

The Taco Bell restaurant at Soledad and Crossglade was temporarily evacuated shortly before 11:30 a.m. as a result of the apparent lightning strike. Emergency responders said there was no fire and there were no injuries at the location.

Los Angeles County Fire officials are on scene. No injuries have been reported. Traffic in the area is congested as emergency crews work on the problem.

As of noon, traffic lights are out in the Whites Canyon-Plum Canyon area.

In other weather-related news, numerous collisions have been reported along the Highway 14 corridor, and a rock slide was affecting northbound traffic lanes about a mile south of Escondido Canyon Road at 11:37 a.m.