Comcast, Xfinity service disrupted in several WA areas after vandals destroy equipment
Jan 21, 2025, 11:05 AM | Updated: 3:58 pm
Maintenance crews with Xfinity and Comcast Business work on a damaged cable line. (Photo courtesy of Comcast Washington)
(Photo courtesy of Comcast Washington)
Vandalism that led to a Comcast cable line being significantly damaged has caused several outages for Xfinity and Comcast Business customers in south King County.
The outages impacted customers in Burien, Kent, Kent Vista, Normandy Park, Renton, Seatac, Skyway and Tukwila, a statement from Comcast Washington published online Tuesday reads.
Additionally, an Xfinity retail store in Renton was affected by the outages, causing the store to temporarily close. Xfinity advised customers to visit the retail store in Tukwila instead.
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Comcast network maintenance crews determined vandals intentionally cut the cables supplying power, causing network service outages across multiple municipalities. The damaged cable is along East Marginal Way in Tukwila.
The damage the vandals caused was deemed so significant that the repairs require additional safety measures. Maintenance crews do not have “safe access” to the damaged cable, and are awaiting additional help, as of this reporting.
“Once our technicians have safe access, they will replace the damaged lines and restore service as soon as possible, which is our top priority,” Comcast Washington stated.
If anyone sees anyone or anything suspicious related to the Comcast service outage, they are asked to report it to a local law enforcement agency.
Comcast has seen this issue multiple other times in Western Washington
Some Xfinity and Comcast Business customers around South King County experienced service outages at last October after two cable lines were damaged in a case of vandalism. It took nearly 24 hours to repair the issue.
“Our dedicated network maintenance crews were onsite that morning to repair the damaged cable. Traffic control and construction support were required to access the damaged cable safely,” a Comcast spokesperson confirmed in a statement to MyNorthwest at that time.
Going back further, Comcast disclosed on a company website last May some Xfinity and Comcast Business customers in Kitsap County experienced an interruption to their services, when the company’s cable lines “were damaged due to vandalism.”
The website post included a photo of a severed cable line on a roadside.
A Comcast spokesperson said to The Seattle Times in an email at that time the affected cities and towns included Bainbridge Island, Hansville, Indianola, Kingston, Poulsbo, Silverdale and Suquamish.
Comcast also reported in a similar company website post in early April another cable issue as a result of vandalism. The company stated customers in Tacoma and several areas of Pierce County experienced an interruption to their services due to vandals damaging cable lines.
When these events happen, the company has previously suggested to customers they check for outages or service issues at xfinity.com/status or on the Xfinity app.
Contributing: Steve Coogan
Frank Sumrall is a content editor at MyNorthwest and producer of the Seattle Seahawks podcast, “The Reset with Gee Scott.” You can read his stories here and you can email him here.
