An underground electrical cable failed and exploded near the intersection of Boulevard Sánchez Taboada and Avenida Misión de Loreto in Tijuana’s Zona Río district around noon on Monday, May 4. The blast, which occurred in front of the restaurant Espadalla, knocked out power to hospitals, businesses, apartment buildings, offices, and traffic signals across a wide stretch of the commercial corridor.
Firefighters from the Tijuana fire department arrived first to secure the perimeter and rule out further risks to drivers and pedestrians during the busy morning rush. Police cordoned off the area while two repair crews from the Comisión Federal de Electricidad (CFE), Mexico’s state power utility, reached the scene by 12:15 p.m.
Outage Stretches Across Major Boulevard
The power outage extended from Boulevard Sánchez Taboada to Boulevard Agua Caliente, one of Tijuana’s primary commercial and medical corridors. Darkened traffic signals at the intersection created hazardous driving conditions. Businesses without backup generators were forced to shut down temporarily.
IMSS Clinic 7, part of Mexico’s public social security health system, lost grid power but continued operating on a backup generator. No injuries were reported from the explosion itself or the resulting outage.
CFE Crews Begin Repairs With No Estimated Restoration
CFE personnel took control of the site after firefighters cleared it, citing the presence of live electrical cabling inside the underground structure. As of Monday afternoon, the utility could not provide an estimated restoration time. Municipal authorities advised drivers to avoid the stretch of Boulevard Sánchez Taboada near the blast site, warning that repair crews could occupy traffic lanes while replacing the damaged cabling.
Zona Río is one of Tijuana’s most heavily trafficked commercial districts, home to the city’s main hospital corridor, the CECUT cultural center, and dozens of restaurants, shops, and office towers. The area’s underground electrical infrastructure serves a dense concentration of residential and commercial buildings.
CFE was expected to work through the rest of Monday to restore service to affected customers. The original report was published by Punto Norte.