Power Outage Darkens Knott’s, Strands Riders

Thousands of visitors to Knott’s Berry Farm amusement park were unexpectedly left in the dark Saturday night when an electrical transformer fire cut off power to the popular tourist attraction, authorities said.

The 10 p.m. fire was contained within minutes, a fire department dispatcher said, but Southern California Edison Co. workers had not restored electricity to the area late Saturday.

Power was also knocked out to the Buena Park Mall and to businesses and residences east of Knott’s Berry Farm along La Palma Avenue, as far as the Anaheim city limit. Several intersections in the region were without operating traffic lights as well, police said.

Most of the rides that shut down during the power outage were able to be operated on manual control, allowing riders to disembark safely, authorities said. However, several people were stuck on the landmark parachute ride that towers above the center of the amusement park at 8039 Beach Blvd.

Fire officials did not know what triggered the transformer blaze.