Reason for power outage in Bangor not known

BANGOR – More than 2,000 city homes, businesses and a school lost power for a little over an hour Tuesday morning.

The cause of the power outage, which lasted from 8:30 to 9:41 a.m., was not found, according to a Bangor Hydro Electric Co. representative.

All affected areas were located on the west side of Kenduskeag Stream.

Pupils at Vine Street School had the novel experience of starting their school day without electricity or heat, but they took it in stride, according to Frank Hackett, assistant superintendent.

“There really wasn’t much of an issue,” he said. “Vine doesn’t open till 9 o’clock. Thankfully, we didn’t have a 20-below night last night, so the building was already pretty warm.”

Pupils studied by the light coming through classroom windows and traveled the halls under the eerie glow of emergency lights until power was restored.

The power outage also may have led to a citywide interruption of Adelphia cable service.

“There was an areawide problem in Bangor,” an Adelphia customer service representative said Tuesday afternoon. “It may be that the [cable] broadcast tower lost power and then lost cable.”

By afternoon, Adelphia workers had restored cable to all streets but the Perry Road.

Streets affected by the power outage included Webster Avenue, Bowdoin Street, Crestmont, 14th Street, Wood Street, Allen Street, Buck Street and some of the Odlin Road.