UPDATE: As of 2:20 p.m., Duke Energy says power has been restored for several hundred customers. Around 450 more customers are without power and the estimated time of restoration has been changed to 8 p.m.
A fallen tree onto a power pole is causing a power outage for hundreds of Chapel Hill residents on Thursday afternoon.
The Chapel Hill Police Department shared an alert at 12:35 p.m. Thursday saying a large tree damaged a pole along North Lakeshore Drive. Duke Energy subsequently reported an outage for 1,001 of its customers in the Eastwood Lake neighborhood and surrounding roads. The power company said the outage was first reported at 11:36 a.m.
#CHtraffic alert: The 1800 block of N. Lakeshore Drive is expected to be closed for several hours. A large tree fell & damaged a power pole. @DukeEnergy is on scene. Do not walk through the closed area. Never go near downed power lines. @ChapelHillGov @ChapelHillFD pic.twitter.com/c0dtl26GAm
— Chapel Hill Police (@ChapelHillPD) July 7, 2022
As of 12:40 p.m., Duke Energy’s outage map website said the estimated time of power restoration was close to 3 p.m. Thursday afternoon.
Chapel Hill Police encouraged drivers, bicyclists and pedestrians to avoid the 1800 block of North Lakewood Drive as the tree is removed from the power lines and pole. The department urged people to not walk through the closed area and to avoid every walking near downed, live power lines.
This is a developing story.
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