Power Outage Continues After Electrical Issue At Key Tower

ALEXANDRIA, VA — Residents of a 17-story residential building were evacuated Monday to address an electrical malfunction. The building remained without power Tuesday.

The incident happened Monday morning at Key Tower, a residential building on Tower Court. Smoke was present when units arrived, but there was no fire, according to Raytevia Evans, an Alexandria Fire Department spokesperson. Residents were evacuated with assistance from the Fire Marshal's Office.

The property manager's electrical contractors were on scene with assistance from Dominion Energy to determine the cause of excess heat on each floor of the building. Power was cut to help workers identify and repair the issue.

The Fire Marshal's Office requires residents to be evacuated while the issue is resolved, Evans said. The city's Office of Emergency Management responded to provide a cooling center for residents at Patrick Henry Elementary and Recreation Center.

The cooling center continued into Tuesday as the residential building remained without power. Dominion Energy spokesperson Peggy Fox noted repairs to the cable at Key Tower continue. The property manager is in touch with residents.

According to a Tuesday afternoon email to Key Tower residents, the property manager would notify residents once the contractors have estimated power restoration times. Patrick Henry Recreation Center remained available until 9 p.m. as a cooling center, and limited escorted access by patrol officers was provided during evening hours.