STAFF REPORT

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A disruption in a Kentucky Utilities substation caused a major power outage in Perryville early Easter morning.

At 2:45 a.m. Sunday, Boyle County Fire Department responded to a call for what was initially thought to be a fire in the KU substation at Alum Springs Road and U.S. 150, according to Emergency Management Director Mike Wilder. When firefighters arrived they discovered that “the culprit was a raccoon,” Wilder said.

There wasn’t a fire, Wilder said, but the varmint caused disruption to electric service to about 2,000 homes, churches and businesses.

There was concern that the power would be off for several hours, Wilder said, which could have caused people to miss Easter Sunrise services if their alarms didn’t go off.

“Thank the Lord they were able to get it back on in about an hour or hour and a half,” Wilder said.

The raccoon didn’t survive.