EPHRATA, Pa. — Hundreds of residents in Lancaster County are waking up in the dark this Sunday morning following a significant single-vehicle collision that left critical infrastructure damaged and a widespread power outage in its wake.
Emergency dispatchers reported that the crash occurred shortly before 10 p.m. on Saturday night at the intersection of Reading Road and Meadow Valley Road in Ephrata. According to officials, a vehicle traveling through the area veered off the road and struck a utility pole with enough force to bring the structure down, causing significant damage to the local electrical grid.
The PPL Electric Utilities outage map confirmed that the incident left more than 700 customers without electricity throughout the Ephrata area. As of early Sunday morning, the utility company’s restoration estimate suggested that power would be returned to the affected homes and businesses by 8 a.m. Crews have been working through the night to clear the wreckage, stabilize the area, and replace the downed pole to safely restore service.
Local first responders, including fire, police, and emergency medical personnel, were dispatched to the intersection immediately following the crash. Authorities confirmed that there was only one occupant inside the vehicle at the time of the impact. The driver was evaluated by medical personnel on the scene for potential injuries, but officials confirmed that the individual did not require transportation to a hospital or further medical facility.
The exact circumstances surrounding how the vehicle left the roadway remain under investigation by local law enforcement. As of Sunday morning, there have been no details released regarding potential charges or specific factors that may have contributed to the accident.
Traffic in the immediate vicinity of the Reading Road and Meadow Valley Road intersection remained restricted overnight as utility crews prioritized the repair of the downed lines. Drivers are advised to exercise caution if traveling through the area early this morning, as crews may still be present to finalize the restoration of utility services.
“We are asking residents to remain patient while our crews work to get the grid back online,” a spokesperson for the utility company noted in a brief update regarding the outage.
For those still without power, PPL encourages customers to keep refrigerator and freezer doors closed to help maintain temperatures and to monitor the official company outage map for the most current updates on restoration progress. Residents are also reminded to treat any traffic signals that may be malfunctioning due to the power surge or outage as four-way stops for safety.
Additional information regarding the investigation into the crash is expected to be released by the Ephrata Police Department later today.
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