Mayor declares state of emergency in Cripple Creek

Ashley Eberhardt
·2 min read
THURSDAY 3/14/2024 8:41 p.m.

(SOUTHERN COLORADO) — Annie Durham, the Mayor of Cripple Creek, has declared a state of emergency due to the expected snow and threat of another power outage.

Power was out for the entire town of Cripple Creek for several hours, and although power has been restored, Durham said snow will continue to fall throughout the night, which poses a risk of another outage.

Durham urged neighbors in Cripple Creek to call 911 if:

  • You are in need of immediate assistance

  • The power goes off again, and your health and life are in imminent danger due to cold

  • You are on oxygen, and are in danger of running out

Durham asked the community to check in with each other, especially vulnerable neighbors.

THURSDAY 3/14/2024 7:42 p.m.

The Black Hills Energy outage map is showing the outage impact in Cripple Creek has been reduced to zero impacted customers. 1,015 customers remain without power in east Cañon City.

ORIGINAL STORY: Thousands without power in Cripple Creek and Cañon City

THURSDAY 3/14/2024 6:40 p.m.

Black Hills Energy (BHE) is reporting ongoing outages for costumers in Fremont and Teller Counties, and casinos in Cripple Creek are being forced to close due to the outage.

Black Hills Energy reported around 5:30 p.m. that it was dealing with ongoing outages in Cripple Creek, Victor, and Cañon City.

“Heavy, wet snow has resulted in damage to our electric system including broken power poles which need to be replaced,” said BHE. BHE added that crews are continuing to work as quickly and safely as possible to make repairs and restore service, and will likely be working into the evening.

Multiple casinos in the popular gambling town of Cripple Creek have been forced to close, including Century Casino and the Triple Crown casinos. Century Casino said on Facebook that internet and phone lines were down, though both Century and Triple Crown are hoping to reopen sometime on Friday.

The BHE outage map shows as of 6:45 p.m. on Thursday, more than 1,000 customers are without power in eastern Cañon City and more than 2,000 in Cripple Creek. BHE is also reporting some customers in Pueblo County are without power.

Emergency officials remind everyone not to use ovens, stoves, barbeque grills, or any propane-powered devices to heat your home to avoid fire and carbon monoxide hazards. If you or a neighbor is in need of immediate help, contact emergency services.

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