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July 13, 2007

Update: Smoke disrupts update on Pastore outages

CRANSTON -- As state officials were preparing for the latest briefing on power outages at the Pastore Complex here, smoke began coming out of the second floor of the Mental Health, Retardation and Hospitals administration building on the campus.

About 100 people were then evacuated from the building, and the Cranston Fire Department was called.

By 4 p.m., the smoke was no longer coming out, but because of the time of the day, workers were being sent home.

No one was hurt, and patients were not affected. However, all telecommunications are now out on the campus, which has been plagued by power outages since Tuesday afternoon.

The smoke this afternoon was attributed to power surges on a line.

James Jerue, utility manager for the Department of Administration, said this afternoon that "one thing affects another," indicating that problems could create a domino effect.

Several state department and the Eleanor Slater Hospital are located at the complex, which has experienced two power failures this week.

-- With reports from Journal staff writer Karen Lee Ziner

Posted by Andrea Panciera  at 4:15 PM | Permalink

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