UPDATE: We’re told that the power is back on for most of the Western Addition and Laurel Villagers who had been without, but that PG&E is still working on Geary in efforts to restore power to an area hospital.

The first reports came in from Emergency_in_SF, first:

Some sort of transformer explosion has caused power outage in Laurel Heights & from Geary to Parker to Steiner. No ETA for restoring.

then

UPDATE: man hole cover explosion resulting in Cal Pac Hospital on back-up power. No injuries. Power still out in Laural Heights w/ no ETA .

and, most recently

UPDATE #2: Multiple explosions heard & manhole covers blown on 2400 block Geary. Green/white steam/smoke pouring from ground.

HeatherHAL confirms

My friend just drove by there, police, meter maids & PG&E are in force, closing Geary off mult lanes in both directions.

as does NattyNatNat

PG&E working hard on Geary and Baker!

The Chronicle says the culprit was an underground cable between Geary and Baker that shorted out around 12:40, leaving 1,249 customers in the WE and Laurel Village areas sans power.

Checking in with PG&E, they say they’re still working on it and they don’t know how long it’ll take to restore power to those folks. They also urge drivers to avoid taking Geary in the Western Addition, as Geary is down to one lane so crews can work, and traffic there is, consequently, agonizingly slow.

the author

Eve Batey is the editor and publisher of the San Francisco Appeal. She used to be the San Francisco Chronicle's Deputy Managing Editor for Online, and started at the Chronicle as their blogging and interactive editor. Before that, she was a co-founding writer and the lead editor of SFist. She's been in the city since 1997, presently living in the Outer Sunset with her husband, cat, and dog. You can reach Eve at eve@sfappeal.com.

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