BUILDING CREW KNOCKS OUT POWER ONE WOMAN TRAPPED IN ELEVATOR.

Byline: Kathleen Sweeney Staff Writer

VALENCIA - Construction crews digging a sewer line hit an underground utility vault Friday afternoon, knocking out most of the power to the Valencia Industrial Center for about 90 minutes.

Most businesses lost power about 2:15 p.m. when the crew working in a dirt area near Anza Drive moved the vault containing wires that fed electricity to the park, said Glen Becerra, Southern California Edison region manager.

Los Angeles County workers were digging the line as part of an expansion leading to the water treatment facility.

``They were supposed to support this box,'' Becerra said. ``When it moved, it pulled wires and caused the outage.''

The outage knocked out a few traffic signals, but traffic was light in the business area for the holidays.

At Mercury Insurance Co. on Avenue Scott, it was business as usual for Yvonne McMahon until the elevator she was riding in came to a dead stop between the second and third floors of her office building. It was pitch- black inside as McMahon called for help.

Co-workers wedged open the elevator doors above and below her and shoved staplers in the cracks to give her a little air and some light.

``It was dark and it was getting pretty hot in there,'' McMahon said, after her rescue by Los Angeles County firefighters.

Power was restored about 3:45 p.m.

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Photo:

Southern California Edison workers arrive to restore power cut when a construction crew snagged a power vault in the Valencia Industrial Center.

David R. Crane/Staff Photographer