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