VENTURA : Electrical Outage Affects 700 Firms

A power outage in Ventura Thursday evening left more than 700 businesses without electricity and caused at least one traffic accident, authorities said.

A break in underground power lines cut electricity from 5:31 p.m. to 6:40 p.m. to the businesses and at least five traffic lights on Telephone Road south of the Ventura Freeway.

Police said one of the malfunctioning signals contributed to an injury accident at Telephone Road and McGrath Street where one car slowed down in caution and was hit from the rear by another car traveling at normal speed.

An unidentified woman was taken to Ventura County Medical Center in critical condition. Police had no additional details.

Although power was restored to the majority of businesses before nightfall, Southern California Edison crews continued to work through the evening on transformers at the intersection of Palma Drive and Colt Street, where the break occurred.