Photo essay by Robert Sanchez

GROSSMONT COLLEGE — When the power outage began approximately 3:40 p.m., Thursday, it was uncertain whether this was just a momentary interruption in service, or whether it was a major event. Assuming the former, photography instructor Patricio Chavez moved with his students from the classroom to the hallway of the Digital Arts Building, where he completed his lecture.

Eventually, however, it became clear that the interruption might last for a day or more and Grossmont College decided to cancel classes for the rest of Thursday and for Friday as well.

Buildings emptied, leaving vacant hallways such as this one in the Digital Arts Building where only a short time before Chavez had conducted his class.

Campus roadways, however, were anything but empty as traffic backed up. Without electricity, traffic signals did not work, causing drivers to treat intersections around the campus as if they had four-way stop signs. Add to that, the rush of students, staff and faculty all attempting to leave Grossmont at the same time, and the result was a monumental back-up.