APS power outage caused by equipment failure

13 on your side's Vanessa Gongora spoke with a resident in the area about what he was most concerned about

YUMA, Ariz. (KYMA, KECY) - APS said a power outage in the Foothills was caused by equipment failure, specifically a faulty switch.

The outage left over 1,000 customers in the dark for five hours Tuesday night.

Power went out at 6:40 p.m. and was restored at 11:40 p.m., according to APS.

Warren Gay just moved to Yuma not too long ago in February from Washington.

He and his wife were out of town in Las Vegas when he got the message about the power outage and said he was worried about his food.

"So I thought hm okay, well major solar flare-up on Monday and so who knows? And so we thought we will just trust technology and we got back about an hour ago and checked the refrigerator and freezer," said Gay. "Everything's in here, everything's good to go."

Though his food was salvaged, there was one thing that took a hit.

"My daughter had given me the gift of two whiskey glasses because I love whiskey and it's got the polished rock so you don't have to put ice," explains Gay. "Opened the door and it had thawed a little bit in the freezer. That was the only casualty."

Gay is a retired fire chief of 38 years and reminds others to not open their fridge or freezer during an outage to keep the food cool.

"The time frame on this one, stay in the dark, don't light candles," says Gay.

Gay said many candles cause fires and it's best to be safe.

APS said this kind of equipment failure can happen in extreme heat and to unplug all necessary equipment and appliances to prevent electrical spikes.

Also, wait at least five minutes after the power returns to turn on major appliances and equipment.

You can get refunds on ice purchased during outages.

According to APS, if you bought ice during an outage that lasted 10 hours or longer, you can get refunded for up to 20 pounds of dry ice or 40 pounds of regular ice.

You can request a refund here, as well as find more tips and tricks of what to do during an outage.