Evanston’s police station and fire department headquarters were left without power for 10 hours and thunderstorms left 1,400 ComEd customers without power July 8.
The power outage affecting the police and fire departments was not caused by weather but rather by an animal, likely a squirrel or a rat, according to Facilities Manager Max Rubin.
“We found his bedding and stuff,” Rubin said.
Emergency services were unaffected by the loss of power because the city’s 911 call center has a back-up power source, he added.
The other power loss, which impacted downtown businesses, part of Northwestern’s campus and nearby residential areas, lasted from 5:25 p.m. to 8:56 p.m., Rubin said. The affected area reached from Dempster Street east of the Metra tracks to residences on Emerson and Foster streets as far west as Maple Avenue.
