A handful of fires cropped up in Phoenix and more than 18,000 people lost power Monday night after a thunderstorm blew through the Valley.

About 13,000 Salt River Project customers and 5,200 Arizona Public Service lost power for a few hours, power company officials reported.

“Some folks might not have their power back on for a couple hours, but we’re hoping to have the bulk back in two to three hours,” SRP spokesman Scott Harelson said. “We’re really getting spit on.”

Most of the customers affected are in north Phoenix, west Phoenix and Glendale. A handful of power failures were reported in Ahwatukee, he said.

An APS spokeswoman did not immediately return a request for comment, but the utility’s website showed about 5,200 power failures across metro Phoenix.

Small fires across Phoenix

Phoenix Fire Department crews responded to a house fire near 32nd Street and Osborn Road as well as an apartment fire near 22nd and Dunlap avenues, a transformer fire near 7th and Campbell avenues and a tree fire at 30th and Oak streets.

The department also reported power lines were down near 25th Street and Glenrosa Avenue.

A Phoenix Fire Department spokesperson did not immediately return a request for comment.

Northbound SR-51 re-opened at Northern Avenue

As rain hit some parts of the Valley, standing water pooled on State Route 51 and forced the freeway’s closure near Northern Avenue.

The water caused a crash and a spinout within the span of five minutes, according to the Arizona Department of Transportation. Minutes later, ADOT announced all lanes were blocked and traffic had to exit at Northern Avenue.

The freeway reopened just before 10 p.m.

Light rail stations briefly without power

Stations at 19th and Montebello avenues, 19th Avenue and Camelback Road in Phoenix and Price Road and Apache Boulevard in Tempe were temporarily “in the dark,” according to Valley Metro’s Twitter.

A Valley Metro spokeswoman did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

Reach reporter Joshua Bowling at [email protected] or 602-444-8138. Follow him on Twitter @MrJoshuaBowling.

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