Valentine's Day Balloon Kills Power at Mid-Market in SF

The lights went out in San Francisco this morning thanks to a lost Valentine's Day balloon. A lover scorned?

The Mylar balloon struck an overhead wire near 16th and Florida streets at 8:44 a.m., and killed power to an area near Market and 10th streets, according to the San Francisco Appeal online newspaper.

Power was restored by 9:50 a.m., according to the newspaper, but in the meantime, breakfast joints like Little Griddle continued to use the gas burners to serve coffee and pancakes, reports said.

The metallic balloons associated with this, the lovingest of holidays, are blamed for many power outages throughout Northern California, according to Pacific Gas & Electric Company, which had warned consumers of the threat these baubles pose.