Businesses at Buderim Central Shopping Village on the Sunshine Coast were left without electricity after a vehicle crashed into two electrical power boxes on Lindsay Road during the early afternoon of 1 July 2026.
The incident occurred at about 1:00 pm, when a car struck electrical infrastructure servicing the shopping complex. The impact caused extensive damage to two power boxes, immediately disrupting electricity supply to multiple businesses operating within the centre.
Following the crash, Energex crews were called to the scene to assess the damage and begin repairs. The electricity distributor warned that restoring power would take several hours because of the significant damage to the network infrastructure. Technicians worked to isolate the damaged equipment before commencing replacement and repair works to safely reconnect affected customers.
Several retailers were forced to temporarily suspend normal operations while the outage continued. Businesses dependent on electricity for lighting, refrigeration, payment systems and food preparation were particularly affected, with some unable to continue trading until power could be restored. Customers visiting the shopping village experienced disruptions as shops assessed whether they could remain open during the outage.
Emergency services attended the scene to secure the crash site and ensure public safety while Energex crews carried out repairs. Authorities established a safety perimeter around the damaged electrical equipment, and motorists were advised to exercise caution when travelling through the area due to the presence of emergency vehicles and maintenance crews.
At the time of reporting, no serious injuries had been reported as a result of the collision. Police were investigating the circumstances that led to the vehicle leaving the roadway and crashing into the electrical infrastructure. It was not immediately known whether weather, mechanical issues or driver error contributed to the incident.
Energex reminded motorists to take extra care around roadside electrical equipment, noting that collisions with power infrastructure can create serious electrical hazards as well as widespread service interruptions for nearby homes and businesses. Damaged power boxes and electrical cabinets should always be treated as live until declared safe by qualified technicians.
Repair crews remained on site throughout the afternoon working to restore electricity as quickly as possible. Businesses hoped trading could resume normally once replacement equipment was installed and the network was safely re-energised. Authorities said updates on restoration times would be provided by Energex as repair work progressed.
