On Wednesday, Jan. 31 at 8:16 p.m., a 9-1-1 call was received reporting smoke coming from the drain in the 200 block of Easy Street.

City of Mountain View Fire Department units were dispatched at 8:16 p.m. and arrived on the scene at 8:26 p.m. Firefighters arrived to find heavy smoke and flames coming from a Pacific Gas and Electric underground power vault. Firefighters extinguished the flames with a fire-attack hose line. The Mountain View Police Department closed one lane of eastbound traffic on E. Middlefield Road while fire units and equipment were on the scene.

The fire disrupted electricity to three apartment buildings, affecting 125 total units. The fire also disabled the traffic lights at the intersection of Middlefield Way and Easy Street. PG&E estimates electricity will be restored to the apartments and the intersection in 24-36 hours. The City of Mountain View Fire Department is monitoring the situation.

The fire was extinguished with no injuries to civilians or firefighters. The damage is estimated to be $40,000. Traffic was reopened in both directions of Middlefield Road, with temporary stop signs in the intersection during the electrical outage.

The City of Mountain View has resources available to assist residents and visitors in this time of need. Those without power seeking a place to charge their electronics and access to Wi-Fi can visit the following City facilities:

• Mountain View Public Library (585 Franklin St.) – will be open to the public Thursday, Feb. 1, from 10 a.m. to 9 p.m. and Friday, Feb. 2, from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. (All ages)
• Mountain View Community Center (201 S. Rengstorff Ave.) – will be open to the public Thursday, Feb. 1, from 8:30 a.m. to 10 p.m. and Friday, Feb. 2, from 8:30 a.m. to 7 p.m. (All ages)
• Mountain View Senior Center (266 Escuela Ave.) – will be open to the public Thursday, Feb. 1, from 8:30 a.m. to 9 p.m. and Friday, Feb. 2, from 8:30 a.m. to 5 p.m.
• The Police Services Fire Administration Building lobby at 1000 Villa St. will be open to the public from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. (All ages)

For general questions about PG&E service, call their customer service center at 1-800-743-5000. Visit https://pgealerts.alerts.pge.com/outagecenter/ to report, track, and monitor PG&E electric outages.

If you or someone you know needs additional assistance as a result of prolonged loss of electricity, contact the City’s Emergency Operations Center at 650-903-6825. Needs will be assessed on a case-by-case basis and resources will be provided as they are available.

Media Contact
Robert Maitland, Fire Department PIO
650-903-6825 or robert.maitland@mountainview.gov