A squirrel was responsible for the power outage that had nearly 5,000 people in the dark Thursday afternoon.

An Xcel energy representative says around one o'clock a squirrel caused equipment problems at their substation in Hallie, triggering a power loss on the North side of Eau Claire that stretched from Melby to 40th avenue.

"We were doing our regular business and all of a sudden about one o'clock all the lights went off and everything went off," JimBob's Pizza shift manager Dawn Lium said.

"We got a call from Xcel energy they have a substation shortage or outage so it's pretty much the North part of 53," Jerry Tomesh of the Department of Transportation said.

He says the Department of Transportation used generators to power traffic lights until Xcel workers were able to restore power shortly after two Thursday afternoon.