Ebensburg area residents react to hours-long power outage

CAMBRIA COUNTY, Pa. (WJAC) — As icicles hang from tree branches, ice is also clinging onto power lines as temperatures hit 'real feels' of single digits.

Penelec officials say that's believed to be the cause of Friday's power outage in the Ebensburg area, which impacted over 4,000 customers.

Ebensburg resident Julie Doyle says her family was affected by the outage.

"We were at home all day just waiting for the power to come back on," she said.

She's also owner of Up-N-Running -- which had to shut down for the day -- because there was no way to get "up and running" without power.

"The way that things have been the past couple years, it's never great to lose a day of business," she told 6 News.

She called Friday a "bonus day" with her kids, since the power outage even caused their virtual learning day to be cancelled.

"We made the most of it. We had a fire, hung out, played games, and did whatever we could," she said.

There were warming stations set up throughout the area, including local fire companies and school gymnasiums.

Ebensburg resident Hilary Yahner opted to stay warm and left her home...

"Thinking when the day was over, we'd come back, and we'd have power in our house, but we did not," she said.

Her Ebensburg-based business, Country Garden 6 pack, was still open for 'cash only' purchases.

She her family was left in the dark until the nighttime hours.

"We turned on our gas fireplace, brought our sleeping bags in front of the fireplace with all our pillows, and we slept there for the night. Our power came back on probably about 10:45."

She says, for some families, it was a hidden blessing.

"It's one of those times where you realize how blessed we are to have electricity. Our kids have never had to go without it, so it was almost an interesting experience to give them that day without power," she told 6 News.

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