Thousands of Southern California Edison customers were left without power in the Alamitos Beach and Bluff Heights neighborhoods Sunday afternoon after a transfer blew up, resulting in a downed power line, authorities said.

According to SCE officials, a total of 2,763 customers were without power at one point. The power outage not only affected homes and businesses but street lights as well.

Long Beach firefighters initially responded at 1:39 p.m. to the intersection of Bermuda Street and Junipero Avenue regarding a pole fire or a transformer on fire located at the top of a pole, said Long Beach Fire Department spokesman Jake Heflin.

Fire officials then requested Edison, which is now at the scene.

An Edison representative told the Post that the cause of the incident is still under investigation and that “crews are still inspecting the lines and isolating the outages.”

“Crews are still in the process of isolating and rerouting power to get the lights back on as quickly and as safely as possible,” said SCE public safety advisor Reggie Kumar.

Kumar said so far 1,135 customers are still without power and urged the public that if there is a downed power line to stay away and call 911 immediately, do not approach it.

The incident resulted in an exposed, downed power line at Bermuda and Junipero, causing police to shut down Junipero between Third and Fourth streets until Edison resolves the issue.

No injuries were reported. Power was expected to go back up at 4 p.m., officials stated. No other information is available at this time.

Edison officials also provided the following safety tips:

  • Winter weather can cause power lines to fall. Downed wires can electrify puddles, wet grass and the surrounding area. Never touch or step in water near a downed wire, as it can be electrified. If you see a downed wire, call 911. Inform the operator it’s an electrical emergency.
  • Beware during flooding. Just six inches of moving water can knock you down and two feet can sweep your vehicle away.
  • Never try to remove a broken tree limb or branch that has come in contact with a power line.
  • Make sure you have battery-operated radio and flashlights. Check the batteries to make sure they’re fresh. Use flashlights for lighting during a power outage. Do not use candles because they pose a fire hazard.
  • If you use a generator, place it outdoors and plug individual appliances directly into it, using heavy-duty extension cords. Connecting generators directly to household circuits creates “backfeed,” which is dangerous to repair crews.
  • Don’t leave your space heater unattended and unplug it when not in use. Consider getting a space heater that has an automatic shut-off.
  • When power is out, traffic signals may be out so approach those intersections as four-way stops.

Stephanie Rivera is the community engagement editor. Reach her at [email protected] or on Twitter at @StephRivera88.