BREAKING: Partial Evacuation At Kingsborough Due To Power Outage
[UDPATE [12:25 p.m.): Ryles has notified Sheepshead Bites that power has been restored.]
A swath of Kingsborough Community College’s (2001 Oriental Boulevard) campus went dark this morning, forcing a partial evacuation as administrators and crews work to assess the system’s status.
A tipster on campus for a test at the school’s library notified Sheepshead Bites at approximately 11:00 a.m. that the library had been suddenly evacuated as the lights went out. The test administrators did not share details with our tipster, but did say that buildings without power were being evacuated due to an “emergency on campus,” and that it might have to do with a broader power outage affecting Manhattan Beach.
Ruby Ryles, a spokesperson for Kingsborough, confirmed that there was presently a power outage in her office in the Administration building.
“We just haven’t determined to what extent the outage is, but part, if not all, of the campus is without power,” she told Sheepshead Bites.
Ryles could not confirm if any buildings other than the library had been evacuated, or what the cause of the outage is. We are waiting to hear back from her if she receives more information, and will post when received.
It’s not clear how large the outage is. A resident on Hastings Street and Oriental Boulevard, near the neighborhood’s center, noted that he still had power. Menorah Home and Hospital (1516 Oriental Boulevard), located adjacent to the school, also has power, a rep told us.
Swaths of the community have been without power since Superstorm Sandy flooded homes and Con Edison infrastructure, and Con Edison has been doing construction work in the community. Their outage map does not appear to reflect the Kingsborough outage as of press time, but there is a marker nearby on the map noting that there is an “emergency outage to make repairs.”
This is a breaking news story and may contain inaccuracies. We will update it as more information becomes available. If anyone has more information or additional photos, please send them to tips (at) sheepsheadbites (dot) com.