News Summary
A power outage in San Bernardino impacted around 17,000 customers and led to the closure of 14 schools due to safety concerns from rising temperatures and lack of ventilation. The outage, caused by a locomotive striking power equipment, began early in the morning but was fully restored by noon. While some schools closed, others remained operational with safety measures in place. Local emergency services also faced challenges due to non-functioning stoplights, highlighting infrastructure reliability concerns in the area.
San Bernardino Experiences Power Outage Causing School Closures and Disruptions
San Bernardino, California — A widespread power outage affected approximately 17,000 customers in San Bernardino on Tuesday morning, leading to the closure of multiple schools and various disruptions throughout the city. The outage, which was reported around 5 a.m., originated from an incident involving a locomotive striking power grid equipment.
Cause of the Outage and Restorations
According to Southern California Edison (SCE) spokesperson Jeff Monford, the incident involved a BNSF locomotive colliding with power infrastructure in the rail yard on 4th Street, resulting in a significant power failure. Emergency responders confirmed that no injuries occurred during the incident. Power was fully restored by approximately noon the same day, after service disruptions affected a substantial part of the area.
While five separate outage reports were logged on Edison’s outage website at 5:08 a.m., Monford indicated that these entries might have been due to a data entry error, with the actual incident affecting a single major site. Regardless, the outage caused widespread concerns across the city and neighboring areas.
Impact on Schools Due to Power Outage and Heat Alert
The San Bernardino City Unified School District announced the closure of 14 schools for the day, citing the power outage and rising temperatures as primary concerns. The affected schools included Chávez, Salinas, Shandin Hills, Kendall Complex, Holcomb, Hillside, North Park, Cajon High School, Palm, Vermont, North Verdemont, Kimbark, Newmark, and Muscoy.
Temperatures were forecasted to reach the high 90s and triple digits, raising safety concerns for students, especially since many of the classrooms lacked proper ventilation due to the outage. The closures aimed to protect students from heat-related health risks and to ensure their safety during the hot weather.
Most other campuses in the district continued operations during the outage, with school staff implementing safety measures where possible. Parents of students at affected schools were notified promptly and asked to pick up their children early to avoid exposure to the extreme heat and safety hazards.
Additional City Disruptions and Safety Measures
Emergency services reported that stoplights in northern San Bernardino were not functioning during the outage, creating challenges for traffic flow and safety in the area. Despite these disruptions, St. Bernardine Medical Center continued normal operations during the outage period.
San Bernardino County Fire Department Capt. Shawn Millerick confirmed that the locomotive incident was the direct cause of the power failure, with no injuries reported from the event. Meanwhile, law enforcement reports indicated that local police responded to traffic issues stemming from the stoplight outages, ensuring public safety during the disruption.
Previous Power Outage and Ongoing Concerns
This incident marked the second consecutive day that power disruptions affected local schools, as the Bear Valley Unified School District also canceled classes earlier in the week due to an outage. Such recurring outages have raised concerns among parents, school officials, and city residents about the reliability of the power infrastructure.
City officials and Edison representatives continue to investigate the incident, with efforts focused on preventing similar occurrences in the future and minimizing the impact on critical services and daily life. Schools are expected to reopen and classes to resume normally on Wednesday, pending any further disruptions.
Summary of Key Facts
- Location: San Bernardino, California
- Date of incident: Tuesday, starting around 5 a.m.
- Cause: Locomotive struck grid equipment in the rail yard
- Customers affected: Approximately 17,000
- Power restored: By noon the same day
- School closures: 14 schools canceled classes for the day
- Reasons for closures: Power outage and extreme heat
- Safety measures: Parents advised to pick up children early
- Additional impacts: Non-functioning stoplights, normal operations at medical centers
- Previous outages: Affected the Bear Valley Unified School District the previous day
Officials continue to monitor the situation, emphasizing safety and infrastructure repair to prevent future disruptions. Students and residents are advised to stay informed of updates as operations return to normal.
Deeper Dive: News & Info About This Topic
HERE Resources
Additional Resources
- ABC7 News
- Wikipedia: San Bernardino, California
- San Bernardino Sun
- Google Search: San Bernardino power outage
- NBC Los Angeles
- Encyclopedia Britannica: San Bernardino
- Spectrum News 1
- Google News: San Bernardino school closures
- KTLA News

Author: STAFF HERE VIRGINIA BEACH WRITER
VIRGINIA BEACH STAFF WRITER The VIRGINIA BEACH STAFF WRITER represents the experienced team at HEREVirginiaBeach.com, your go-to source for actionable local news and information in Virginia Beach, Virginia Beach City, and beyond. Specializing in "news you can use," we cover essential topics like product reviews for personal and business needs, local business directories, politics, real estate trends, neighborhood insights, and state news affecting the area—with deep expertise drawn from years of dedicated reporting and strong community input, including local press releases and business updates. We deliver top reporting on high-value events such as the Virginia Beach Neptune Festival, East Coast Surfing Championship, and the American Music Festival. Our coverage extends to key organizations like the Virginia Beach Chamber of Commerce and Visit Virginia Beach, plus leading businesses in tourism and defense that power the local economy such as the Virginia Beach Convention Center and Northrop Grumman. As part of the broader HERE network, we provide comprehensive, credible insights into Virginia's dynamic landscape.