Power outage cripples downtown during fest

By GUY PRIEL

Journal Staff Writer

NEW ULM -- A defect in a circuit in a transformer crippled downtown New Ulm on Saturday, as businesses and residences were thrown into the dark for nearly two hours.

At around 2:30 p.m., an elbow in the transformer under the Marktplatz Mall blew off, silencing cash registers, killing computers and darkening signal lights all over town.

"I heard what sounded like a loud explosion and suddenly we were left in the dark," Janice Mullins of Gaylord said. "I had just entered the Hallmark store at the time I heard it. When I stepped outside, people all up and down the street were standing outside businesses."

Business inside the Mall came to a standstill as people shopping at Antiquefest were left to scramble for exits out of the darkened interior of the building.

"I am in town for Heritagefest and decided to stop in here to see what I could find," Melissa Hertzog of St. Paul said. "When the lights went out I wasn't sure what was going on, but it can be pretty dark in here."

Gas stations suffered a similar fate, as computerized, electronic pumps quit working.

"I was filling my tank, when next thing I knew, the pump stopped," Paul Jackson of rural New Ulm said. "I only hope it won't stay off long, because I don't want to sit here forever waiting to fill up my tank."

The outage also silenced the Glockenspiel, leaving busloads of tourists sitting on the bench waiting for a 3:00 show that never happened.

"It's very disappointing when you travel here to see something like this and don't get the chance," Lucas Parker of Des Moines, Iowa said. "I would have thought a clock like this could be controlled with something besides electricity. We are too dependent on electricity these days."

Temporary stop signs were brought out by officials with the City Street Department and placed at major intersections, as security alarms and fire alarms went off at New Ulm High School.

The outage failed to affect Heritagefest and some businesses on the north side of town. Officials had the power back on to most affected areas by 4:45.