Happened to me when the Northridge earthquake struck LA in 1994. I was on a high floor of the Mondrian on Sunset and thought I was going to ride the bugger right down the hill and rubble-surf onto Santa Monica Boulevard. Instead all that happened was a total power failure -- no lights, not even emergency lights, and no phones working in the rooms. Made several new friends in their underwear or less as we paced the almost-pitch-black halls; finally felt our way downstairs clutching each other like the blind survivors in Day of the Triffids.

Never again; I too carry a Maglite now.