A few stray metallic balloons caught on utility equipment caused a power outage in Westminster, affecting over 4,600 Southern California Edison customers, including several businesses, on Wednesday, June 4, authorities said.
Power was expected to be fully restored early Thursday morning, officials said.
SCE spokesperson David Eisenhauer said the outage was reported at 3:38 p.m. and affected approximately 4,631 customers within a mile of the Westminster Boulevard and Goldenwest Street area. By 7 p.m., at least 700 customers remained without power, which was expected to be restored by 3 a.m. on Thursday, June 5.
The following neighborhoods remained affected by the power outage on Wednesday evening:
- Cherry Street and Westminster Boulevard
- Trask Avenue and Yosemite Drive
Metallic or Mylar balloons are a common cause of power outages, which have nearly doubled within the last five years. By state law, balloons should always be tied to a weight and never released outdoors due to safety risks. The silver metallic coating is highly conductive and can cause hazardous consequences, such as power outages and even explosions, if it comes into contact with a power line or electrical equipment, officials said.
In 2024, Southern California Edison reported a spike in repair outages caused by metallic balloons between February and June, as people celebrate graduations and other holidays. More than 113,000 customers were affected last year.