MDR Construction Co. worker David Bittinger clears debris from a broken guy wire that caused a power outage to businesses near North Frontage and Halls Ferry roads Thursday.(The Vicksburg Post/Melanie Duncan)

[07/12/02]A broken guy wire was blamed for a power outage for about 200 Entergy customers near Halls Ferry and North Frontage roads Thursday.

Cheryl Comans, customer service representative for Entergy, said the wire helping support a utility pole broke about 10:50 a.m. Thursday and allowed two of the wires attached to the pole to slap together. That caused the electrical circuit feeding the area to fail.

The pole is on a vacant lot just west of the Southern Orthopedics Clinic. It was replaced, and power was restored about 45 minutes after the failure, Comans said.

Affected by the outage were Southern Orthopedics, Vicksburg Clinic and the administrative areas of River Region West Campus, said Diane Gawronski, River Region spokesman, but emergency generators kicked in.

The outage also delayed printing of The Vicksburg Post.