Hydro One blames raccoon after downtown Toronto power outage

By Staff The Canadian Press

Hydro poles stand in the City of Toronto's west end on Friday, January 16, 2009. A masked mammal appears to have been the culprit after a swath of downtown Toronto had its power knocked out. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Nathan Denette. NSD

A masked mammal appears to have been the culprit after a swath of downtown Toronto had its power knocked out.

Hydro One says crews determined that a raccoon “made contact” with equipment at a downtown Toronto station and that they were working with Toronto Hydro to restore power.

A Toronto Hydro spokesperson says about 7,000 customers were without power Thursday evening, while traffic lights and transit services were also affected.

With nothing to direct movement at the busy Bloor and Yonge Street intersection, drivers edged cautiously through the area, while beneath them, commuters traversed darkened subway platforms with the help of emergency lights.

Toronto Hydro says the affected area stretched from St. Clair Avenue West to Gerrard Street West, and Avenue Road to the Don Valley Parkway.

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There was no immediate word on the condition of the raccoon.

Toronto Fire Services says its crews were responding to a higher number of elevator rescues in the downtown core, and advised people to consider using stairs where power is out.

Toronto Hydro said Thursday night that all power had been restored.