Las Vegas Resort Reopens After Power Outage, Evacuations
November 04 2016 - 12:30PM
Dow Jones News
LAS VEGAS—Electricity was restored and a major hotel at the
heart of the Las Vegas Strip reopened Friday after a complete
blackout and overnight evacuation blamed on damage to the main
basement electric line.
The 2,900-room Paris Las Vegas was declared open shortly before
daybreak—nearly 20 hours after the hotel, casino, restaurants and
shopping areas plunged into what a hotel spokesman called pitch
darkness.
"We're 100% open for business," Caesars Entertainment Corp.
spokesman Rich Broome told reporters. "We are not expecting any
additional electrical issues going forward."
About 3,000 guests and gamblers were forced out after the power
was cut and a backup source failed to kick in.
Mr. Broome said hotel fees were being waived and free stays
would be provided for guests who were prevented from returning to
their rooms in the 33-story hotel, and to arrivals who had to find
another place to stay.
The outage was called an accident—occurring when a worker cut
into the power main during authorized and scheduled work in a
subbasement. Hotel and county officials said there was no
indication of sabotage or foul play. Mr. Broome declined to
identify the contractor.
No injuries were reported, but Clark County Fire Chief Greg
Cassell said 11 people were rescued from five separate elevators,
and a few people suffered from anxiety-related issues. No one was
hospitalized, Chief Cassell said.
Officials estimated that 3,000 guests and gamblers were forced
out after power was cut about 9:45 a.m. Thursday and backup power
failed to kick in. The full evacuation was ordered after noon, when
the fire alarm system battery power ran low and backup generators
didn't kick in.
Mr. Broome said officials are investigating why auxiliary power
didn't function as expected.
As night fell, the faux Eiffel Tower lighted up, but the hotel
remained dark and authorities decided it was too late to promise to
let guests back in. Only people who needed prescription medication
were escorted by hotel and security officials to their rooms.
Entrances to the hotel were draped in yellow crime scene tape
and firefighters went door-to-door inside the darkened building to
make sure everyone was out, the fire chief said.
The outage drew comparisons to an Easter Sunday 2004 blackout
that lasted three days at the 3,000-room Bellagio resort across Las
Vegas Boulevard. Business losses in that case were estimated in the
millions of dollars.
Mr. Broome said estimates of the loss from Thursday's outage
weren't immediately known.
Copyright 2016 The Associated Press.
(END) Dow Jones Newswires
November 04, 2016 12:15 ET (16:15 GMT)
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