Vandals cause Saturday night power blackout

A power cut affected a large part of Craigavon on Saturday night. (File picture).

A bright flash was spotted over a wide area as two circuits went down, causing what was described as a ‘blue flashover’.

The fault occured after the vandals threw an iron bar at a pole causing the transformer trip at Monbrief.

Around 2,500 homes were off supply at the height of the cut, NIE officials said.

Areas affected inluded parts the Mourneview estate in Lurgan, Clonmeen, Drumgor Heights, Ardowen, Bleary, Old Fort Lodge, Plantation Road, Clare Road near Waringstown and Moyraverty.

The fault occured around 8.30pm, with engineers quickly dispatched to make repairs.

A spokesperson for NIE said round half of those hit by the cut had their power supply restored around 11pm, a further 500 were back on supply by 11.45pm.

The last twenty customers fftected had their power restored by 4am on Sunday morning.