Lights Out! Balloon Release To Blame For Power Outage That Affected 5,600 In Bridgeport

More than 5,000 Connecticut residents lost power earlier this week after a woman released a mylar balloon that struck a series of electrical lines, authorities said.

Crews work on powerlines
Photo Credit: *Unsplash/David Vives*

Josh Lanier

12/04/2024 12:52 p.m.

The outage occurred around noon Tuesday, Dec. 3, and affected 5,600 customers in the Bridgeport area, a spokesperson for United Illuminating said in an email. Crews restored power to by about 2 p.m., the company said.

Blackham Elementary School, John Winthrop Elementary School, Madison Elementary School, and Skane Center Elementary School were released early because of the outage, according to Connecticut Insider.

It was unclear whether the woman intentionally released the balloon into the Old Town Substation on Main Street in Bridgeport, which caused the loss of two circuits, the report said.

A woman was taken to an area hospital in stable condition, but the extent of her injuries was unclear, the report said. Authorities did not release her name.

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