NYC blackout, scorching heat send Dominicans scurrying

New York.- More than700 Dominicans were left without electricity under sweltering heat from a massivepower outage in the area around street 190th St. and WadsworthTerrace in Upper Manhattan.

New York´s electric utilityCon Edison said the overloading from air conditioners and other appliances causedthe blackout, as a heat wave a stifles the city since Monday.

A strong explosion washeard prior to the blackout that lasted around nine hours, authorities said.

Con Edison crews weresent to the area and restored service around 3pm Wednesday.

Many Dominicans hadto leave their apartments and look for shade under of trees buildings and air,while some elderly were taken to community centers for relief from the heat withtemperatures reaching nearly 110-F.