UPDATED: Vehicle Crash Causes Power Outages in Mendota Heights, MN
UPDATE - September 3, 8:30 pm: The Mendota Heights Fire Department confirmed that on Saturday afternoon, September 2, 2023, the Mendota Fire Department responded to a single-vehicle rollover accident on Dodd Road. Officials with the Mendota Fire Department stated there were two occupants of the vehicle, one who was transported to Regional Hospital, while the other declined to be transported.
During the rollover crash, the vehicle collided with and broke a power line pole causing a significant power outage in the area. During the power outage, a 911 call came out for an individual stuck in the elevator at 1320 Riverside Lane, which additional Mendota Fire Department personnel responded to.
Xcel Energy temporarily restored power on Saturday evening around 4:30 PM, but on Sunday another power outage occurred as they were replacing the pole from the initial accident. During the second power outage, another person once again became stuck in the elevator at 1320 Riverside Lane with Mendota Heights Fire Department personnel once again responding for help.
We do not know the status of the occupant of the car that was sent to Regions, but if that information is made available, we will update this story once again.
ORIGINAL STORY
MENDOTA HEIGHTS, MINNESOTA - Around 3:40 PM on Saturday, September 2, 2023, 911 operators received reports of a single-vehicle accident with injuries on Dodd Road near Bachelor Avenue in Mendota Heights, Minnesota. A car went off the road and rolled over into the telephone pole. Powers lines are down across Dodd Road.
Rough location of accident scene.
As a result of the crash and the power lines being down, there are numerous reports of people without power across the area with Xcel Energy reporting impacts across parts of Mendota Heights, West Saint Paul, and Saint Paul. According to Xcel Energy, around 2,078 customers are without power. Soon after the crash, a couple of calls came to 911 for people stuck in elevators after power was lost. One of those locations was at the Summit of Mendota Heights.
Xcel Energy estimated that power should be restored by around 5:15 PM, but it appears most of the power issues were restored across the area by around 4:30 PM. Only a few lingering power outages were being reported for less than half a dozen customers with an updated estimated restoration time of 7:30 PM.
The condition of the individual involved in the vehicle rollover is not known at this time, but we have reached out to the Mendota Heights Fire Department for more information on their condition and the Mendota Heights Police Department as to a possible cause of the crash.
