How the city that never sleeps kept going when the lights went out

Madeline Holcombe
By Madeline Holcombe, CNN
Updated 8:41 AM EDT, Sun July 14, 2019
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CNN  — 

A city known for its bright lights went dark on Saturday night.

At its peak, the New York blackout shut off power to about 73,000 customers in Midtown Manhattan and the Upper West Side, officials with the utility company Con Edison said. On a Saturday night, that meant many of New York’s top entertainment and tourist attractions were stopped in their tracks.

Seen from the air, a large section of Manhattan's Upper West Side and Midtown neighborhoods stand coated in darkness on Saturday, July 13.
Seen from the air, a large section of Manhattan's Upper West Side and Midtown neighborhoods stand coated in darkness on Saturday, July 13.
Scott Heins/Getty Images
Times Square's billboards are black as people fill the street.
Times Square's billboards are black as people fill the street.
Thomas Urbain/AFP/Getty Images
People use their phones as flashlights.
People use their phones as flashlights.
Michael Owens/AP
Pedestrians looks at their cellphones in midtown Manhattan.
Pedestrians looks at their cellphones in midtown Manhattan.
Michael Owens/AP
Radio City Music Hall is dark during the blackout.
Radio City Music Hall is dark during the blackout.
Erik Pendzich/Shutterstock
An entrance to the C and E trains at the 50th Street Subway Station is dimly lit.
An entrance to the C and E trains at the 50th Street Subway Station is dimly lit.
Michael Owens/AP
People sit inside a bar during the power outage.
People sit inside a bar during the power outage.
Marie Barbier/CNN
Dark buildings along a dark street are seen near the Times Square area.
Dark buildings along a dark street are seen near the Times Square area.
Jeenah Moon/Reuters
Con Edison workers stand around a barricaded transformer cover.
Con Edison workers stand around a barricaded transformer cover.
Catherine Koppel/Reuters
People are evacuated outside Row NYC hotel.
People are evacuated outside Row NYC hotel.
Jeenah Moon/Reuters
A convenience shop is closed.
A convenience shop is closed.
Haiyun Jiang/CNN
A man directs traffic on 8th Avenue and West 58th Street.
A man directs traffic on 8th Avenue and West 58th Street.
David Dee Delgado/Getty Images
The Upper West Side of Manhattan is in the dark. The city's fire department was responding to numerous transformer fires, the first of which occurred in Manhattan on West 64th Street and West End Avenue, officials said.
The Upper West Side of Manhattan is in the dark. The city's fire department was responding to numerous transformer fires, the first of which occurred in Manhattan on West 64th Street and West End Avenue, officials said.
Alan Reeves via AP
People walk along a dark street near Times Square.
People walk along a dark street near Times Square.
Jeenah Moon/Reuters
A police officer directs traffic in Times Square.
A police officer directs traffic in Times Square.
Johannes Eisele/AFP/Getty Images
A view of the Hell's Kitchen neighborhood shows buildings in darkness.
A view of the Hell's Kitchen neighborhood shows buildings in darkness.
Linda N/Reuters