A large explosion at a power plant in Devil’s Pocket knocked out power and cell phone service to the entire city on Saturday afternoon.
The power plant, which is located within the trailer park south of the city, somehow caught fire before exploding, scattering debris as far as The Daily Grind and Lou’s. A column of smoke could be seen as far away as Batterie say witnesses, where a beach party was being held.
The Fire Department of Hathian responded to the fire within minutes and extinguished it after a lengthy fight, though were unable to salvage the building itself. Reparations are under way, but for now the power remains out.
At this point, the cause of the explosion is unknown, though gang activity is highly suspected after the numerous reports of looting and vandalism that surfaced in the hours following the blackout.
Phone service is spotty, but existent, outside of the downtown core, and lights powered by generators are a common sight through out the city. The hospital is currently being powered by backup generators, as well as several businesses that are still operational.
Several instances of heatstroke were also reported due to the lack of air conditioning, adding pressure to the already stressed emergency system, though officials say that major infrastructure, including the hospital, should be back online within days.
