A power outage at Parkmerced has left 1,293 customers without electricity since 7:30 p.m. Tuesday night, PG&E confirmed.

Power is expected to be restored at 9:51 p.m. to the high rise flats and townhouses, a PG&E representative said. The towers at 310 and 350 Arballo Dr. and 405 Serrano Dr. have been without power.

PG&E is currently working to find the power, but still do not know the root of the problem.

Jack Frohlich, a resident of 310 Arballo Dr., walked to a nearby market with his son Arthur to purchase candles. Frohlich, who lives on the 12th floor, said there were only emergency lights on three of the 12 floors as he traveled down the stairwell to exit the tower.

"How are we supposed to go out," he said. Adding, "that's really dangerous."

Residents on the third floor of the 310 Arballo Dr. tower took advantage of the outage, and held a flashlight dance party and played a rousing game of flashlight tag with a resident in the neighboring tower.

"We taught ourselves [Morse code] tonight," Carli Alman, a 21-year-old exchange from Australia, said. "At least we like to think we [did]."

Alman's roomate, freshman Ali Gold, was finishing her laundry when the power went out.

"It's been in there for two hours," Gold said.