Massive Blackouts

Written by Eric Olsen
Published August 14, 2003

CNN is reporting massive blackouts:

    Major power outages reported in New York City, other parts of Northeast, Cleveland, Detroit and other cities. Details soon.
Does anyone know anything about this? I am in suburban Cleveland but we aren't having any problems - I guess if you have no electricity you can't tell me about it via the Internet, now can you?

MSNBC has the story:

    A fire at a major New York power plant caused cascading blackouts throughout the Northeast, the Midwest and eastern Canada late Thursday afternoon, knocking out electricity to millions of people in New York, Toronto, Detroit, Cleveland and elsewhere.

    FEDERAL POWER REGULATORS did not identify the power plant, but CNN reported that a fire had been reported at a transformer at the Consolidated Edison plant in New York City. Most of the affected cities are linked on the same regional power grid.

    Officials of the Homeland Security Department said there were no indications that the blackout was the work of terrorists.

    The evening rush hour was just beginning in the East, and NBC correspondents described scenes of pandemonium as thousands of New Yorkers streamed into streets where traffic signals were not operating.

    The Port Authority of New York and New Jersey said it was crippled. Buses, trains and subways were not running. WNBC-TV reported that fire crews were heading down into the subways to check on thousands of stranded passengers.

    Jim Tsumi of Riverdale, N.Y., was sitting on the shoulder of Highway 495 leading to the Lincoln Tunnel.

    "I got no hope getting home tonight," he said, pointing across the river at Manhattan, where the West Side Highway and a two-mile traffic jam were clearly visible. "It's like 9/11 again. I hope this is nothing big."

NBC News is reporting no evidence of terrorism.

Career media professional Eric Olsen is honored to be the founder and publisher of Blogcritics.org, which, quite frankly, rules - as do his wife and four children.
Keep reading for information and comments on this article, and add some feedback of your own!
Massive Blackouts
Published: August 14, 2003
Type:
Section: Culture
Writer: Eric Olsen
Eric Olsen's BC Writer page
Eric Olsen's personal site
Spread the Word
Like this article?
Email this
Submit to del.icio.us Save to del.icio.us
RSS Feeds
All RSS Feeds (240+)
Comments on this article
BC articles by Eric Olsen
All Culture Articles
Eric Olsen's personal weblog
All BC articles
All BC Comments

Comments

#1 — August 14, 2003 @ 17:52PM — Mac Diva [URL]

I am surprised there haven't been more power outages. It has been a very hot summer, even out here in the Pacific Northwest and in Europe. Records have been set, including over 100 degrees in Portland and Seattle.

Having lived in Philly and Atlanta, I sometimes ask myself which is worse: A horrible heat wave with a power outage or frigid temperatures with a power outage. (I almost froze my arse off one winter in the City of Brotherly Love and Low Temps.) I still haven't decided.

#2 — August 14, 2003 @ 17:58PM — Eric Olsen

MD, I ponder that question as well from here in greater Cleveland, but then I remember the axiom: it's not the heat, it's the stupidity.

Want comments emailed to you? No spam, promise! Address:

Add your comment, speak your mind

(Or ping: http://blogcritics.org/mt/tb/7587)

Personal attacks are not allowed. Please read our comment policy.





Remember Name/URL?

Please preview your comment!

Fresh
Articles
Fresh
Comments