A transformer blast darkens downtown blocks as Tijuana’s merchants press CFE over power cuts

A transformer exploded on Wednesday afternoon, Oct. 14, at Avenida Niños Héroes and Calle Segunda in Zona Centro, and businesses closed while firefighters and police responded, Uniradio Informa reported. According to merchants in the area, the outage reached both sides of Niños Héroes between Calle Segunda and Calle Tercera, along with businesses on nearby streets. The report did not say when power returned, and it carried no response from the Comisión Federal de Electricidad (CFE).

Olivaldo Paz Gómez, president of Tijuana’s chamber of commerce, Canaco, called for service to be restored immediately and asked for clear information, response times, preventive maintenance and coordination to prevent new failures, noting that businesses still pay rent, payroll and suppliers when they can’t sell. Paz also said, as Tijuana en Línea reported the same day, that frequent power and water interruptions are cutting sales and spoiling stock at businesses that depend on refrigeration, such as seafood, chicken and produce sellers. He acknowledged that the heat has strained the distribution network.

Canaco’s complaint follows one from the restaurant chamber, Canirac, earlier this week (our story). In Playas de Tijuana, residents of the Costa de Oro, Dorada and Jardines sections and Residencial Veranda I told Zeta they went days without power in early October; one café owner said she lost 150,000 pesos’ worth of food. A CFE source who was not named told the weekly the failures were isolated, involving individual transformers under heat-driven demand. Separately, Lyle Fricht, president of Tijuana’s business council (CCE), told Zeta the council is working with CFE on a 2026–2030 plan to prevent blackouts.

If you’re heading out

An outage can close a restaurant, bar or shop with little warning. If your plans hinge on one place, check its social media or call before you go, and see our calendar for this weekend’s shows.