Pre-Summer Heat Wave Causes Power Failure In Brooklyn, New York

New York, NY (AHN) - The blistering sun is beginning to take its toll on New Yorkers. The first victims of the pre-summer heat wave were Brooklyn residents and subway commuters when power was cut off Sunday.

Temperature was at 93 degrees and could hit 100 by Monday. The National Weather Service said the heat wave would go on through the weekend and early next week, with an average temperature of 96 degrees.

As power shut down in parts of New York, air conditioning units could not work, forcing 300 customers along Bergen St. to find relief in the open air. The brownout knocked off street lights, leading the police to direct traffic manually. Many restaurants closed because they were unsure when would power be restored and it was too stuffy inside the dining establishments.

Subway commuters were stranded as the G line, which services Brooklyn to Queens, as power was shut off. The F and 4 lines were also halted, while 2 and 3 lines were delayed. NYC Transit officials said power was restored in all the affected lines after two hours.

The power outages took place after Con Ed officials boasted last week it was prepared for summer and it had sufficient power to meet the spike in demand. Con Ed spokeswoman Elizabeth Clark said it had extra crews on standby and it was monitoring the power system closely.

The Health Department reported a three-fold rise in heat-related cases brought to the emergency room, while heat-related calls received by the Emergency Medical Service were 10 times higher.

Summer officially starts June 21, although many Big Apple residents are starting to sear in the pre-summer heat.