Crews kept busy by Phoenix microburst

PHOENIX - Residents were glad to have their power back Sunday after a microburst on Saturday left many in north Phoenix powerless overnight.

“It was a bad night,” said resident Rubin Rojas.

The unexpected microburst forced Rojas and his grandchildren to suffer through a sweltering night without power. Thankfully, a more fortunate neighbor from across the street sent electricity by way of an extension cord.

“I just took the cord and put out a couple of fans,” Rojas said.

Seventeen power poles were knocked down along 32nd Street during Saturday’s storm.

Arizona Public Service crews went to work overnight and will be in the area through Monday replacing the old wooden poles with ones made of steel. The poles are meant to withstand 60-mile-per-hour winds.

“This microburst came from nowhere and it might have done the same thing to steel poles too,” said Damon Gross with APS.

Only two buildings are without power going into Sunday night -- a school administration building and an Elks Lodge. They had to cancel 4th of July festivities for the first time because of the power outage.