Power outages strike neighborhoods surrounding USC during latest Los Angeles heat wave

The neighborhoods surrounding USC experienced a series of power outages on Friday during the peak of a heat wave that brought record-breaking temperatures to many communities in Los Angeles County.  

The outage did not affect the campus, according to an alert sent out by the university. 

"Power on the [University Park] Campus is currently operational. LADWP is working to restore service. It is unknown at this time how long the outage will last," officials wrote in the alert. "Please check with LADWP for updates."

The power outage affected a little more than 3,200 customers near the university. — the largest amount in the city at the time, according to the LA Department of Water and Power. Other outages cut the power to thousands more in the surrounding areas, including Mount St. Mary's University, West Adams and Exposition Park. 

At about, 10:00 p.m. LADWP had nearly 130 outages throughout the city, totalling more than 16,500 customers without power.

USC officials advised students and staff to avoid using the elevators. However, they asked everyone to check elevators in their area to make sure no one is trapped inside. 

The university asked its labs to check their refrigerators and ultra-low freezers. 

"Many university buildings have generators that provide emergency power to critical equipment such as fire alarms and emergency lighting, not for normal electrical outlets," the university wrote in the alert.  

The National Weather Service issued an excessive heat warning for most of Southern California, including a majority of LA County.

The scorching hot weather strainged some of the region's power grids, forcing two LAUSD schools in the San Fernando Valley to send students home early after the campuses lost electricity. Glendale also reported heat-related outages throughout the city. Pasadena implemented rolling outages after its grid failed because of the high hea early Friday night.