The 1977 blackout in New York City happened exactly 42 years ago



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On Saturday at 6:47 pm, areas of Midtown Manhattan and the West Side became dark.

Pedestrians used their mobile phone as a flashlight to cross the street, Broadway shows were disrupted and commuters rushed to find another way to get home after the subway stops.

A little over three hours later, Con Edison announced that the power was restored.

On a sultry July night in 1977, exactly 42 years ago, the same thing happened: the city of New York sank in darkness, but the city was deprived of privacy. electricity for 25 hours.

It has become a defining event. Looting and arson spread through the streets, resulting in 3,800 arrests and millions of dollars in damage.

There were also familiar scenes. Viewing.

Refrigerators without electricity ruined the food. But that did not stop the restaurants and bars from keeping their doors open and pouring alcohol.

Some people eating in restaurants ended up on the streets – when the power was turned off, the air conditioning did the same. On Saturday, many people finished their meals in light of their cell phones, an option not available in 1977.

The silhouette of the city has become a silhouette, iconic buildings like the Empire State Building blending into the night sky.

Despite the looting, some New Yorkers took to the streets to help direct the traffic. The same scene took place Saturday night when more than 200 traffic lights were turned off, according to the city's Department of Transportation.

The power outage of 1977 also caused a widespread disruption of transportation, particularly at the Grand Central Terminal. According to the Metropolitan Transportation Authority, Saturday's power outage caused problems across the metro.

And yet, some spent their evenings, which, for some lucky Rockefeller Center in 1977, meant a stop in an ice truck.

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