Explosion in Hollywood cuts power to 4,000 customers
ASSOCIATED PRESS, December 14, 2001

LOS ANGELES - An underground electrical vault exploded in a Hollywood neighborhood Friday, sending a fireball 75 feet in the air and knocking out power to more than 4,000 customers. The first explosion occurred shortly before 8 a.m. and a fire was quickly extinguished. A second explosion occurred two hours later. Officials with the city's Department of Water and Power said electricity was not expected to be restored until midnight at the earliest. The cause of the explosion appeared to be equipment failure, possibly a transformer or a cable in the vault, said DWP spokeswoman Darlene Battle. The Red Cross opened a shelter at Hollywood High School.