Power Outages Reported in Baldwin Park as Fierce Winds Batter Southland

Fierce winds howled across the Southland today, causing power outages  throughout Los Angeles County, including Baldwin Park, where some customers were affected. 

Nearly 17 customers were left in the dark in Baldwin Park after trong winds knocked down a power line on Maine Avenue.

The service repairs were scheduled to be completed by 2:00 am Tuesday, according to the SCE Outage Center.

The gusting winds kept local utility crews busy. By late afternoon, 5,036 Southern California Edison customers were without power, including more than 3,000 in the Norwalk area. Earlier in the day, SCE reported that more than 9,600 customers were without power.

"If the winds do cause downed power lines and snapped poles, we will have crews nearby," Edison's Dan Chung said.

Chung urged people to stay away from downed lines, to keep their children away from the lines, and to notify authorities immediately if they see a problem.

The winds toppled trees across the Southland, including a pair near City Hall in downtown Los Angeles and another in the Valley Village area.

Because of "extremely high winds and reduced visibility," the California Highway Patrol issued a wind advisory covering freeways and surface streets and recommended that motorists use caution.

- City News Service and Patch Staff