Power failure shuts down Copenhagen
Copenhagen, the Danish capital, ground to a halt today after a power failure struck the city and parts of neighbouring Sweden.
Traffic signals and lights in offices, shops and homes in went out as the city of 1.8 million lost electricity.
Power was also out in southern Sweden. Nearly two million Swedes did not have electricity in the country of nine million. The underground railway in the capital, Stockholm, shut down for 30 minutes.
Power officials said a main transmission line connecting Sweden and Denmark had broken down. Police did not suspect sabotage.
In the centre of Copenhagen, hundreds of people emerged from stores and looked around, trying to see if any power was available and using their mobile phones to call friends and family. Traffic along the city’s main thoroughfare was bumper to bumper.
Trains running along Denmark’s new driverless underground system came to a stop. Passengers were evacuated from trains without incident.
The capital’s widespread commuter rail system also came to stop, police said. Hospitals were running on back-up generators.
Flights to Copenhagen’s airport were being diverted to Sweden, said spokeswoman Camilla Kjaersgaard.
Police spokesman Flemming Steen Munch said schools and businesses were encouraged to keep students and workers from going home in a bid to avoid traffic jams.
The Oresund Bridge, which connects Denmark to Sweden was closed to traffic.
