Grass Fire Knocks Out Power to 3,500 PG&E Customers

A small brush fire forced a brief closure of Main Street near Highway 1 in Watsonville and knocked out power to thousands Friday afternoon, authorities reported.

A blown transformer sparked the blaze behind Big 5 Sporting Goods just before 2 p.m., according to emergency radio traffic.

Initial reports put the grass fire at 10 feet by 10 feet, according to emergency radio traffic.

The fire knocked out power almost 3,500 customers, according to PG&E. It also created one odd rescue scenario: a housekeeper at Motel 6 on Silver Leaf Drive got stuck in an elevator when the power went out. Aptos/La Selva firefighters rescued her from the third floor.

Watsonville police closed Main Street at the Highway 1 southbound offramp for about 30 minutes while Watsonville firefighters battled the flames. A Nixle alert sent by email and text urged people to stay away from the area.