On Saturday just before 7 a.m., Tacoma police said a driver was speeding when the vehicle slammed into poles and the University of Tacoma’s power transformer, which provides electricity to the campus and at least 20 businesses along Pacific Avenue.
“It’s huge. We’re down to barely any revenue right now. We’re like in hibernation mode,” said RR Anderson, co-owner of Tinker Topia. “We don’t have any power. It’s like an armpit in here. There’s no ventilation. It’s dark. The glue guns won’t plug into anything. You can’t build anything.”
A witness told officers the driver was speeding more than 100 miles per hour, police said.
The driver died at the scene, detectives said.
UW Tacoma officials told KIRO 7 News that two generators are expected to arrive Wednesday to help temporarily restore power to the campus and nearby businesses beginning next Monday.
“After arrival and set up of the generators, each building will be brought back online individually and safely to ensure systems and technology are not damaged,” the university’s website wrote.
In the next few weeks, officials said the they will lease a new piece of equipment that will allow them to reconnect to the main power source, while they create and design a new long-term solution.
The university acknowledged that the location of the damaged power transformer on 21st Street is exposed to a lot of risks.
“We will continue working with agencies and contractors to redesign and rebuild this critical power access point that meets our needs,” the website added.
KIRO 7 News reached out to the university and requested an in-person interview to learn more about the generators, details about the long-term solution and if the university plans on providing additional support to businesses that have temporarily closed for more than a week due to the power outage.
Officials declined an interview, but said they are considering options to support the impacted businesses.
Anderson said he believes the university is doing what it can to fix the issue, but he’s hoping for more support.
“Rent reduction or something would be nice and we just haven’t heard back from them on that part of it,” he said.
“When there’s no power, we’re paying for not having power and nobody’s coming here. It’s totally empty,” he added.
Co-owner Darcy Anderson said they have kept the store open, despite the lack of electricity, hoping it would bring in customers to help the business stay afloat.
“The doors open. You can come talk to me. I’ll talk to you. I will give you information on what’s happening and lead you around the store and help you shop if you need it,” she said. “We know this isn’t going to make or break us. We’ll be here. It’s just going to be a challenge to get things going again.”
A UW Tacoma spokesperson told KIRO 7 News that the university currently does not have any plans to increase costs to tenants due to the repairs.
Business owners and workers can expect an update from the university on Friday, July 19.
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