A power outage closed Anchorage state offices, public assistance included

Anyone who showed up at the state offices on Ingra Street Thursday afternoon found the doors shut. A power outage closed the whole University Center building at 1 p.m., ending in-person service for the rest of the day.

That includes the Division of Public Assistance office, which normally takes walk-ins until 4 p.m. and runs interviews until 3. Anyone who made the trip across town to sort out benefits made it for nothing.

The state's Virtual Contact Center is still open for status checks and general questions — 800-478-7778, weekdays from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m.

State employees who can work from home were told to keep at it. Anyone in public safety, corrections, or a round-the-clock operation stays on duty.