On Wednesday night, a significant power outage affected more than 900 Indiana Michigan Power (I&M) customers in the southeast region of Fort Wayne, Indiana. The outage occurred in the vicinity of Pontiac Street and Wayne Trace, a major intersection in the area. According to information confirmed by Fort Wayne dispatch to local news station WANE 15, the root cause was a traffic accident in which a vehicle collided with a utility pole at the intersection of Pontiac Street and Radcliffe Drive. This collision resulted in downed poles and wires, which I&M later confirmed as the direct cause of the widespread power disruption. The incident initially affected 930 customers, though by 11:15 p.m. that same evening, the number of affected households had decreased to 538. Emergency services responded to the scene, and I&M crews worked through the night to restore service. The power company estimated that full restoration would be completed around 1 a.m. Thursday, meaning affected residents experienced a disruption of several hours during the evening hours.

Location and Infrastructure

The affected area centers around the intersection of Pontiac Street and Wayne Trace, a significant junction in southeast Fort Wayne that serves as a vital transportation corridor for local residents and businesses. Pontiac Street runs east-west through this section of the city and intersects with Wayne Trace, which cuts diagonally through the southeast neighborhood. The specific collision occurred at Pontiac Street and Radcliffe Drive, a residential intersection just west of Wayne Trace. This area experiences moderate to heavy traffic, particularly during rush hours, as it connects residential neighborhoods with commercial districts and provides access routes to downtown Fort Wayne. The infrastructure includes standard utility poles carrying electrical lines that power hundreds of homes and businesses in the vicinity. The proximity of the poles to the roadway, while necessary for power distribution, creates vulnerability during traffic incidents, as evidenced by this collision that affected nearly a thousand customers in the surrounding area.

Legal Rights and Considerations

Under Indiana law, incidents involving vehicle collisions with utility infrastructure may implicate multiple areas of legal responsibility. Indiana follows a modified comparative fault system (Indiana Code § 34-51-2), meaning that individuals may seek compensation for damages even if partially at fault, provided their fault does not exceed 51%. For affected residents, Indiana utility regulations (170 IAC 4-1-22) establish standards for service restoration following outages, though these do not typically include automatic compensation for losses during standard outage events. Those who suffered property damage or business losses from the power disruption generally must file claims with their own insurance providers first. However, if negligence contributed to the accident, affected parties have a two-year statute of limitations (Indiana Code § 34-11-2-4) to pursue claims against potentially responsible parties. Business owners with specific coverage for business interruption may have additional avenues for compensation, while homeowners should review insurance policies for coverage related to power surge damage or food spoilage resulting from outages.

Related Resources

• Fort Wayne Police Department: (260) 427-1222
• Indiana Michigan Power Outage Reporting: 1-800-311-4634 or www.indianamichiganpower.com/outages
• Fort Wayne Traffic Engineering Department: (260) 427-1172
• Indiana Department of Transportation (INDOT) Northeast District: (260) 484-9541
• Indiana Utility Regulatory Commission Consumer Affairs Division: 1-800-851-4268
• Allen County Victim Assistance Program: (260) 449-7431
• Indiana Bureau of Motor Vehicles: www.in.gov/bmv
• Indiana Legal Services (Fort Wayne Office): (260) 424-9155
• Indiana Code Title 9 (Motor Vehicles): www.in.gov/legislative/ic/code/title9