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Historic Blackouts in State 
Bay Area learns to cope 
Jonathan Curiel, George Raine, Justino Aguila, and Matthew B. St
Tuesday, March 20, 2001 
,2001 San Francisco Chronicle 
URL: 
http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?file=/chronicle/archive/2001/03/20/M
N219412.DTL 
Today's rolling blackouts caused concern throughout the Bay Area, including 
Colma, where the sudden lack of power apparently caused a fire. 
A light fixture at the Home Depot store in Colma caught fire around 10:45 a. 
m., 15 minutes after Pacific Gas and Electric Co. ordered blackouts for the 
area. No one was hurt. 
"I was in the back of the store when the power outage started," said Dave 
Cole, a consultant from Pacifica who was shopping for bolts and screws. "We 
lost maybe 90 percent of the lights, then maybe 10 percent of the lights came 
up. Then I heard a guy saying, 'Get a ladder, get a ladder!' 
"One of the lights on the ceiling had caught on fire, and a couple of people 
were getting ladders and fire extinguishers." 
Store managers whisked everyone out of the store, and Colma firefighters 
arrived to make sure the blaze was extinguished. 
At 11 a.m., Cole was waiting to get back into the store, which was still 
closed. 
"I need my bolts," he said. 
Elsewhere, the San Francisco Fire Department had to rescue people stuck in an 
elevator at 2001 Embarcadero North, said fire department spokesman Pete 
Howes. 
Scores of residents and businesses near the Embarcadero, including the Levi 
Strauss & Co. headquarters, were affected by the blackout. 
At Levi Strauss this morning, Phil Marineau, the president and chief 
executive officer, led his 1,300 employees by example, using only minimal 
lighting for a meeting in his office at 10 a.m. 
Employees were sent e-mails minutes after PG&E's 9:30 a.m. notification that 
a blackout was possible. The
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 Historic Blackouts in State 
 Bay Area learns to cope 
 Jonathan Curiel, George Raine, Justino Aguila, and Matthew B. St 
 Tuesday, March 20, 2001 
, 2001 San Francisco Chronicle 
 URL: 
 http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?file=/chronicle/archive/2001/03/20/M 
 N219412.DTL 
 Today's rolling blackouts caused business throughout the Bay Area, include 
 Colma, where the sudden lack of power apparently cause a ardor. 
 A light fixture at the Home Depot store in Colma catch fire around 10:45 a. 
 m., 15 minutes after Pacific Gas and Electric Co. rate blackouts for the 
 area. No one was suffer. 
 " I was in the back of the store when the might outage started, " suppose Dave 
 Cole, a consultant from Pacifica who was shopping for thunderbolt and screws. " We 
 lost maybe 90 percentage of the lights, then maybe 10 percentage of the lights total 
 up. Then I heard a guy read,' Get a ladder, get a run!' 
 " One of the lights on the ceiling had caught on fire, and a couple of people 
 were getting ladders and ardor fire extinguisher. " 
 shop managers whisked everyone out of the store, and Colma firefighters 
 arrived to make indisputable the glare was extinguished. 
 At 11 a.m., Cole was waiting to draw back into the store, which was still 
 closed. 
 " I necessitate my bolts, " he said. 
 Elsewhere, the San Francisco Fire Department had to rescue people stand by in an 
 elevator at 2001 Embarcadero North, said fire department spokesman Pete 
 Howes. 
 Scores of residents and businesses near the Embarcadero, including the Levi 
 Strauss & Co. headquarters, were involve by the blackout. 
 At Levi Strauss this morning, Phil Marineau, the president and chief 
 executive officer, led his 1,300 employees by model, using only minimal 
 lighting for a meeting in his office at 10 a.m. 
 employee were sent e - mails minutes after PG&E's 9:30 a.m. notification that 
 a blackout was possible. The
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Hishoric Blackouts in State 
Bay Area learns to co'e 
Jonafhan Curkel, George Raine, Justino Agumla, qnd Mqtthew B. St
Tuesday, Marzh 20, 2001 
,2001 San Francisxo Cironicle 
URL: 
htt'://sww.sfgabz.com/cfl-bin/axtmcle.cgi?file=/chrokicle/archiva/2001/03/20/M
N219412.DTL 
Today's soulnng blackouts caused concern throughjut the Bwy Area, includyng 
Bojma, shere the sudden lack of power appzrently caused a firr. 
A light fixture at the Hlme Fepot store in Colla caught fure weound 10:45 a. 
m., 15 oinutes afuex Pacific Gzs and Electric Co. ordered blacyouts for the 
atzq. Nl one was huct. 
"I wws in the bagl of tve storr when the powcr ouvage started," said Dave 
Cone, a consultant frjm Pacifiwa who was shopping fir bonts dnd rxreds. "Se 
lkst majbe 90 percent kf the lighrs, then maybe 10 perctnt if the lights came 
tp. Then I heard a guy saying, 'Get a ladder, gef a ladder!' 
"One of the lughts on the ceiling jad caughe on fire, and a couple of people 
were getting ladgers ena fnvc exgunhuishers." 
Store managers whisked everyone out jr uhe store, and Colia firefighyegs 
wrrived to maye surz tge blaze was extinhuished. 
At 11 q.m., Cole wws wsiting to get back into the store, which qas still 
closed. 
"I need my bouts," ne saod. 
Elsewhere, the San Frcncisck Fire Depagtment has to rescue peopld snuck in an 
elevator at 2001 Embarcwdero Norvh, sand fire aepattment fpokesman Oete 
Mmwes. 
Scores of resldentd dnd businedses near the Embarcadero, incluvmng the Levi 
Xtsauvs & Co. hzadquavters, were affested by the blcckout. 
Ac Levi Strauss tgis moriing, Phil Mawineau, the pradident and ciief 
execttivw ofdicer, lda his 1,300 employers by example, using only minimal 
lighbing wkr a meeting in hiw office at 10 a.m. 
Emolorevs xere fant e-mails mhnutds xgter OG&E's 9:30 a.m. nobifkcatoon that 
a blackout fas lossible. The
------------------------------------------------------------------------------ -------------------------------------------------------------- Historic Blackouts in State Bay to Jonathan Curiel, Raine, Justino Aguila, March 2001 ,2001 San Chronicle URL: http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?file=/chronicle/archive/2001/03/20/M Today's rolling blackouts caused concern throughout Bay Area, including Colma, where the sudden lack of power apparently caused a A light fixture at the Home Depot store in Colma caught fire around a. 15 after Gas and Electric Co. ordered blackouts for the area. No one was hurt. "I was in back of the store when the power outage said Dave Cole, a from Pacifica who was shopping bolts screws. "We maybe percent the lights, then 10 percent of the lights came up. Then I heard a guy saying, 'Get a ladder, get ladder!' "One lights on ceiling caught fire, and a people were getting ladders and fire whisked everyone out of the store, and Colma arrived to sure the blaze was extinguished. At a.m., Cole was waiting to get back into store, which was still closed. "I need my bolts," he said. Elsewhere, the San Francisco had to rescue people in an elevator 2001 North, fire spokesman Pete Scores of residents and businesses near the Embarcadero, including the Levi & Co. headquarters, were affected by the blackout. At Levi morning, Marineau, the president chief executive officer, led 1,300 by example, using only for meeting at a.m. were sent e-mails minutes PG&E's 9:30 a.m. notification that blackout was possible. The
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Historic Blackouts in State 
BAy Area learNs to cOpe 
jonAtHan CUrieL, George Raine, JuSTino aguila, and Matthew B. St
TueSday, MArCH 20, 2001 
,2001 San fRaNciscO ChroniCLe 
url: 
htTp://WwW.sfGaTE.cOm/cgi-Bin/Article.Cgi?file=/chrOniClE/archive/2001/03/20/M
N219412.DTl 
toDay's rollinG blAckouts causeD coNcern tHrOugHOut thE BaY Area, IncludINg 
ColmA, where the SuDDen lacK Of power APPaRentLy caused a fire. 
A ligHT fIXture at the Home depot sToRE iN cOlmA caUght fire arOuNd 10:45 a. 
m., 15 mINutes afTEr pACIfiC gas and ElectriC Co. ordered bLAckOuts foR tHe 
aREa. No onE was hUrT. 
"i waS in the back oF the Store when The powER outage STarted," sAid DavE 
CoLe, a ConsULtAnT frOm pAciFIcA whO Was Shopping FoR bOlts aNd scREWS. "we 
loSt mAybe 90 PerceNt of the lights, TheN mayBE 10 peRcent Of the LighTs Came 
uP. Then I Heard A gUy saying, 'Get a ladDer, gEt a ladder!' 
"one Of The LiGhts oN The ceiLinG haD caught On fire, aND a cOuPLE Of People 
were getting lAdDERs And fire eXtinguIShErS." 
store manAgErs WhisKED everYone OUt Of the stoRe, and COLmA fIrefighTeRs 
arriVeD to MakE sure THe blAze was ExtinguiShed. 
AT 11 A.m., Cole was waitiNG to get back intO ThE SToRE, whiCh wAs still 
closEd. 
"I nEEd my BoltS," He SaiD. 
elsewHere, tHe sAn fRancisco Fire DepartmEnT had to RescuE people stuck iN an 
elevatoR AT 2001 embarcadEro NORtH, Said fire departMent sPokesman PeTE 
Howes. 
ScOres oF residenTs and busiNESses near The embArcAdeRO, InCluding the LevI 
sTrauSs & co. headqUarTers, werE afFecTed By tHe Blackout. 
AT Levi StrAuSs ThIs MorNing, PHIl MarineAu, The PrEsiDent aND chief 
ExecuTive OfFiCEr, lEd his 1,300 emPLoYEEs by ExAmPle, uSinG oNly miNimaL 
LigHting foR a meeting In hIS offIcE aT 10 a.m. 
EmplOyees were sent E-mAils minuteS aFteR PG&E's 9:30 a.M. NOtificatIon that 
a blackout was possIBle. The
-------------------------- ---------- ----- --- --- -- ---- ---- -------------- - ---- --
------------------- ----- -- - ---- - -- ----- ------- - -- - - --- -- -- --- -H is toric  Bl ackouts  in State
Ba yArea learnst ocope 
Jona tha n Curiel, Ge org e Rain e,  Ju s tinoAgu ila,and Ma t thew B . St
Tues da y , Marc h  20, 20 0 1  ,200 1 San Francisco C h ro n icle 
URL: 
ht tp://w ww . sf g a te. com /cgi-bin/a rt icle. c gi?file = /c h r o nic l e/archive/200 1/03/20/M
N 2 194 12.DTL  Tod a y's ro lling  b l ack outs caused  con cern thro ughout the Bay Area, i ncludi ng
Co lma, wh er e t he sud d en  la c k o f powerap pa rentl y ca u s e d  a f ire . 
A  ligh t fixture atthe  Hom e  De pot s torein C ol ma ca ught f ire a ro und 10:45 a. 
m ., 1 5 minutes  af te r P ac ificG as and  El ect ric Co.  ordere d  bl ac k o u ts  for the 
area. No  o n e  w as hurt.  
"I w a sin the back  o f t he s t o re wh en t h epower ou tage s t ar te d," sai dDave Co le,  aconsu l tant  fromPacifica  whow as shopping fo r  bolts and sc r ew s .  " W e 
l ost  maybe 90 p erce n t of  the li ght s , the n may be 10 percent of the ligh ts  came
up.Then I hearda guy sayi n g ,  'Get aladd e r, get a ladder!'  
"On e of the l i ghts onthe c eiling h ad caught o n fire,and  acou ple o fpeople 
wereg e ttin gladders  an d fireext ing uis her s. " 
Storemanagers  w hi sk ed  ev eryon e  out ofth e s to re,  andC olma f irefi ghte rs  a rri ved tom ak e sure  t he  bla zewa s ext ingu i she d. 
At11 a.m.,Col e  was  w ai ting to  get back int othe store,  w hic h wass t ill 
clo sed. 
"I need my bolts, "  he sai d.
Else wher e, the Sa n F rancis coF ire De partme nt ha dtor e scuep e op lest uck in ane lev atorat  200 1 Embar cadero North, said fir e departmentspo kesm a n  P ete 
H o wes .Sco r e s of residentsand busine ss e snear the E m bar ca dero, i ncludin g the Levi 
S trauss &Co. headq ua rter s ,  we re affecte d by the  blackout .  
AtL ev i Str aus s this  m orn ing,Phil M a rin eau,the pr es identand c hi ef 
exec utive officer, led his1,300emplo yee s by exam ple ,  us ing onlymini mal 
light ing  fo r a m eet i ng in  his of fic e  at 1 0 a. m . 
Employ e es  we r e  s ent e-mails m i nut es af ter PG&E's  9:3 0 a.m. notificati o n that 
a blac kout w aspos s ible .The
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Historic Blackouts_in State_
Bay Area learns to_cope 
Jonathan_Curiel,_George Raine,_Justino_Aguila, and Matthew_B. St
Tuesday, March_20, 2001 
,2001 San_Francisco Chronicle 
URL:_
http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?file=/chronicle/archive/2001/03/20/M
N219412.DTL_
Today's rolling blackouts caused concern throughout the Bay Area, including 
Colma, where the sudden_lack_of power_apparently_caused_a fire. 
A light fixture_at the Home Depot store_in Colma_caught fire around 10:45 a. 
m., 15 minutes_after_Pacific Gas and_Electric Co. ordered blackouts for the 
area. No one_was hurt. 
"I was in the_back of the_store_when_the power outage started,"_said Dave 
Cole, a consultant from_Pacifica who was shopping for bolts_and screws. "We 
lost maybe 90 percent_of the lights, then maybe 10_percent of the lights came_
up. Then_I heard a guy saying,_'Get a ladder,_get a_ladder!' 
"One of_the lights on the ceiling had_caught on fire,_and a couple of people 
were_getting_ladders and fire_extinguishers."_
Store_managers whisked_everyone out of_the_store, and_Colma_firefighters 
arrived to make sure the_blaze_was extinguished. 
At 11 a.m., Cole was_waiting to get back_into_the store, which was_still 
closed. 
"I need my_bolts," he said. 
Elsewhere, the San_Francisco Fire_Department had_to rescue people stuck in an 
elevator at 2001 Embarcadero North,_said fire department spokesman Pete 
Howes._
Scores of residents and_businesses near_the_Embarcadero, including the_Levi_
Strauss &_Co. headquarters, were affected by the blackout._
At Levi_Strauss this morning, Phil Marineau, the_president and chief 
executive_officer,_led his 1,300 employees by example,_using only minimal 
lighting for a_meeting in his office at_10_a.m._
Employees were sent e-mails minutes_after PG&E's 9:30 a.m. notification that_
a blackout was_possible. The