Trailer crash sparks power outage, fire response in Lemitar

A trailer that struck a power pole late Friday night caused a seven-hour outage and sparked a small fire in Lemitar, prompting coordinated response efforts from local law enforcement, firefighters and utility crews.

The incident occurred near the intersection of Highway 408 and County Road 291, where the trailer, believed to be stolen, was abandoned after colliding with the pole. Socorro Electric Cooperative (SEC) crews arrived on scene shortly after the crash to assess damage and begin repairs.

“We had a pole taken out, and it knocked out power to a good portion of the area,” said Jason Otero, operations manager at SEC. “Our line crews worked through the night to replace the pole and restore service.”

The outage began around 5:45 p.m. Friday and lasted until approximately 1:30 a.m. Saturday, according to SEC’s public update. The crash also caused electrical arcing and a small fire in nearby trees, which was suppressed by local firefighters.

“Our department responded quickly,” said Midway Police Chief Marc Wheeler. “We blocked off the road with the sheriff’s office to make sure SEC could safely shut down the power before crews went in.”

Sheriff Lee Armijo confirmed that the trailer was stolen and abandoned at the scene.

 “We’re still investigating who was responsible,” Armijo said. “There was no one with the trailer when we arrived.”

The incident drew attention on social media, with residents sharing photos of the damaged pole and speculating about the cause. SEC emphasized that safety was their top priority and thanked the community for their patience during the outage.

No injuries were reported, and the fire was contained to a single branch.