Power restored to UConn

Storrs, Conn. (WTNH) - A power line came down near the University of Connecticut's Storrs campus and knocked out electricity to about three-quarters of the campus.

Just before 10:00 a.m. Thursday morning the lights went out in Storrs.

"I was inside studying when the power went out and thankful I wasn't doing anything on the computer," said Junior Rebecca Dahl.

A UConn spokesperson says a "sleeve" which we're told is two wires bundled together, came down. They're not sure why, but it knocked out a major circuit which is why the outage was so wide spread.

Three quarters of the campus was in the dark including the UConn Dairy Bar and Bio Science Complex.

Recent graduates Kerilyn Kimball and Ann Roto were interrupted mid experiment.

"Everything started beeping at me, so whatever I was running we actually had to stop for the day," said Kimball. "We're gonna hope that we're gonna pick it up tomorrow and none of our samples get ruined."

Fortunately their generator may have saved them.

"We have back up generators on our freezers too, so our samples are preserved which is most important," said Roto.

Students were told to call professors to make sure class was still on.

"There was no light or power. I mean there was sunlight but that was it," said Dahl.

Will Moran's dorm room was in the dark until about 2:00 p.m. when power was restored to the campus.

"If you don't have homework on your computer it's not too bad," he said.

The emergency lights in the stairwells and hallways kicked on when the power went out.