A widespread power outage struck the heart of Cairns on Thursday afternoon, leaving businesses, homes, and essential services without electricity after power lines came down.
Chaos in the CBD as Electricity Fails
The blackout hit at approximately 2:30 PM, affecting a significant portion of the Cairns Central Business District and surrounding suburbs. The cause was traced to fallen power lines on Sheridan Street, near the Cairns Central shopping centre. Emergency services, including police and Ergon Energy crews, were quickly dispatched to the scene to secure the area and begin repairs.
Witnesses reported seeing the downed lines and hearing loud noises as the failure occurred. Traffic lights across the impacted zone stopped working, leading to immediate congestion and traffic chaos during the busy afternoon period. Police were forced to direct vehicles at major intersections to maintain some order.
Businesses and Services Grind to a Halt
The outage had an instant and severe impact on local commerce and services. Shops inside the Cairns Central shopping complex were forced to close their doors or operate in limited capacity. Hundreds of Ergon Energy customers found themselves without power, disrupting daily life and business operations.
Beyond retail, the blackout affected essential infrastructure. Reports confirmed that several Telstra exchanges were impacted, leading to disruptions for some mobile phone and internet services in the area. The full scale of the disruption to telecommunications was being assessed as crews worked to restore power.
Restoration Efforts and Ongoing Updates
Ergon Energy crews worked urgently through the afternoon to isolate the fault and make the damaged infrastructure safe. A spokesperson for the energy provider acknowledged the incident and advised customers to stay away from any fallen power lines, always treating them as live and dangerous.
While the exact number of affected properties was being finalised, the impact was clearly concentrated in the city's core. Updates were provided to customers via Ergon's official channels as restoration efforts progressed. The incident serves as a stark reminder of the vulnerability of urban infrastructure and the widespread disruption that can result from a single point of failure.
Authorities urged motorists to continue to exercise caution in the affected areas even as power began to be restored, as traffic light systems and other road safety features required time to return to full operation.
