National Grid maintenance emergency causes power outage
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The lights went briefly out in Dunkirk Tuesday.
National Grid told the OBSERVER that approximately 2,130 customers were affected by an emergency power outage that occurred in Dunkirk from 12:31 to 12:45 p.m.
"Our crews were doing some repair/maintenance work in one of our Dunkirk substations (far east side of the city off Roberts Road)," explained National Grid media representative Steve Brady. "As work was being done the crews noticed a potential hazard to their safety which required that we briefly de-energize to allow them to finish their work."
Brady said that the substation "is now operating normally."
The Dunkirk Police Office told the OBSERVER that as soon as the outage occurred the calls started pouring in.
"Five phone lines lit up for about a half hour," Dunkirk police said. "We were running around like crazy directing traffic. It was absolute insanity in here."
No accidents were reported at any of the affected intersections.
DPW Director Randy Woodbury and Police Chief Dave Ortolano both credited the work of the city electrician who tended to matters at the wastewater plant and reset traffic lights throughout the outage event.