Outage leaves nearly 2,500 without power in downtown Durham

DURHAM, N.C. — Nearly 2,500 Duke Energy customers were without power in downtown Durham on Friday afternoon after a car crashed into a pole.

The outage happened around 4:30 p.m. and stretches south to E. Lawson Street to past W. Trinity Avenue north of downtown.

Duke Energy spokesman Jeff Brooks said a vehicle hit a power pole at Duke Street and Yancey Street. Durham Police told ABC11 that two vehicles crashed, causing one car to hit several power poles.

A utility crew is working to make repairs. Brooks said the estimated time of restoration might be 7:15 p.m., but at 7:30 p.m., Duke’s outage map showed power might not be fully restored until midnight or later.

Fewer than 130 customers remained without power as of 8:30 p.m.

S. Duke Street is closed from Morehead Avenue to Jackson Street, and the off-ramp from Durham Freeway to S. Duke Street is closed.

Police said drivers should avoid the area. The crash remains under investigation.