Power outage darkens South Quad
Observer Staff Report
Dan Barabas was expecting a normal Friday night: he'd pre-party at Fisher Hall before heading to Holiday Inn City Center for a formal dance. But as the sophomore and his girlfriend Elizabeth Ayala walked back from Cavanaugh, every light around them went off, and South Quad turned black.
"We were shocked and chagrined," Barabas said. "It was funny, and when we got back to Fisher, it was mayhem. Our rector was walking around with a flashlight."
The power outage on South Quad Friday began around 8:30 p.m. and lasted until a little after 1 a.m., University facilities officials said. Pangborn, Dillon, Fisher, Alumni and Lyons halls lost power.
According to Paul Kempf, director of utilities, the blackout resulted from a failed cable connected to a circuit that provides power to South Quad buildings. Kempf did not link the cable failure to any specific event.
"It's just one of those things that happens from time to time," he said.
Student reaction to the outage was mixed.
When Kristen Roger's lights went out in her Pangborn room, she expected power to be restored within minutes. She called the five-hour outage a "major annoyance."
"You couldn't read, get on the computer or do anything," she said.
Peter Rossmann, a junior Fisher resident, said the outage had a slight effect on pre-parties before the dance.
"Of all the nights for a power outage to happen, it was the night of a dance," Rossmann said. "We had no lights and no music — it was impossible for everything to work."
Rossmann said he was glad it was a formal instead of an SYR because students were able to leave Fisher and ride buses to the Holiday Inn City Center.
Barabas said the power outage made the night interesting.
"It was fun. It gave the party a little more character," Barabas said. "Otherwise it would've been another dime-a-dozen formal."
All News Stories for Monday, February 12, 2001
