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Back Bay fire: Officials praise city for behavior as thousands still without power – Metro US

Back Bay fire: Officials praise city for behavior as thousands still without power

About 11,000 customers in the Back Bay are still without power this morning, but the huge inconvenience has gone better than expected, city official said this morning.

There were concerns that looting or rioting would take place and this morning’s commute would be a nightmare with such a significant portion of the city still without power.

However, that has not been the case.

“We are very happy with the way things have gone so far,” said Police Commissioner Ed Davis. “Even the driving has been respectful.”

Davis said additional police officers have deployed to the area in the Back Bay still without power after last night’s three-alarm transformer fire. Traffic lights are out, but officers should be at intersections directing traffic.

About a half dozen MBTA stops were closed last night during the fire, but many were reopened overnight except for the Prudential and Symphony stops. Trains will not stop at those two stations, according to the T.

The I-90 Prudential Center tunnel was also closed for hours last night, but that reopened about 6 a.m. in time for the morning commute.

The area where power was shut off includes many businesses and restaurants. It also includes the Copley Square branch of the Boston Public Library, which will be closed today.

Mayor Thomas Menino said this morning that inspectors would be out at local restaurants today checking on food supplies that were impacted because of the power loss.

Joe Nolan, an official with NStar, said today that power would likely be restored for some by 2 p.m. and others by later this evening.

He said the work to turn the power back on is labor intensive and that the substation where the fire broke out was a critical one for the power company.

It was still unclear what sparked the blaze, but Nolan said an investigation will be conducted. The focus is now on restoring the power.