New York City hit by massive power outage

A massive power outage hit New York City's Manhattan borough on Saturday evening and affected more than 70,000 customers, according to the power service provider Con Edison. People started reporting restaurants, billboards and streetlights going dark at around 19:00 local time.

The impacted area stretched from 40th Street in the south to 72nd Street in the north and from Fifth Avenue to the Hudson River. The city's subway system, the largest in the U.S., was greatly affected and had to close four stations to the public. Several Broadway and off-Broadway shows canceled performances due to the blackout and many theater goers were forced out into the streets into New York's hot summer weather. Con Edison restored electricity to most of its customers on Manhattan's Upper West Side just before midnight, officials said. According to the New York City Fire Department, a transformer fire at West 64th Street and West End Avenue caused the blackout.