Huge blackout hits Savannah during St. Patrick's celebration

SAVANNAH, Ga. - The color of Savannah's weekend St. Patrick's Day celebration turned from green to pitch black late Saturday as the city and most of Chatham County lost power, plunging the downtown party into darkness as thousands roamed the streets.

The only lights in the downtown historic district were flashing atop police cars as officers directed traffic amid throngs of revelers roaming streets littered with plastic cups and shouting ``Paaartay!'' and ``Happy Blackout Day!''

``It's just people wandering around in the dark, man,'' said 23-year-old Danielle Smith of Savannah, looking for friends amid the confusion near the city's riverfront. ``This is crazy!''

The blackout hit at about 10 p.m. as strong thunderstorms tore through southern Georgia and South Carolina just north of Savannah. Some 150,000 customers in the Savannah area were without electricity after transmission lines were knocked out by the storms in Effingham County, company spokesman Jeff Wilson said.

Lights in the city started coming back on about 1 a.m. Sunday, he said.
Power was restored in Savannah on Sunday but about 715 people in the coastal area mainly in Springfield remained without power Sunday afternoon. Georgia Power estimated restoration of all power to customers in the area by 5 p.m., spokeswoman Lynn Wallace said.

A few bars kept pouring drinks, with bartenders counting customer's drinks with flashlights, as patrons huddled around tables lit by candles. Smith managed to buy a cold beer for $2.50 at one darkened watering hole.

Authorities reported few problems, despite the potential for chaos. Police closed the riverfront bars by 11:30 p.m. and the lingering street party began dispersing an hour later as it began to rain. Savannah Fire Capt. Matthew Stanley said a couple of street robberies were reported downtown, but no major incidents.

``Everything's still very calm,'' Stanley said. ``Everybody's just kind of wandering around aimlessly.''

Steve Gaskell and his friends had just stepped off the elevator at their hotel when the power went out. They walked near the riverfront and sat on a park bench, sipping beer with a video camera ready in case anything crazy happened.

``We were expecting mayhem, but there isn't much,'' said Gaskell, 26, of Milwaukee. ``We walked past a jewelry store and I figured the alarm was off and windows would be broken. But so far so good, I guess.''

The blackout didn't stop Mike Birbiglia of Myrtle Beach, S.C., from heading out late to join the party. By the time he got to the ramps winding down to the riverfront bars, he said, police turned him away.

So he wandered with the rest of the crowd by the lights of a firetruck parked at an intersection, unsure of where he was going but hoping the fun wouldn't stop.

``We were looking for a good time, and then this happened,'' said Birbiglia, 25. ``But I'm still having a good time.''