First Energy reported 983 out of its 13,586 Kent customers experienced a power outage the morning of Tuesday, Sept. 23. This power outage caused the campus to close for the day.

At 6:21 a.m. students received a Flash ALERT notifying them that classes before 10 a.m. would be canceled following a power outage and only “essential personnel” should report to campus.

Thirty minutes later, a followup Flash Alert was sent, adding classes before 10 a.m. may meet online.

According to the advisory, “normal operations will resume following reopening.” 

At 9:31 a.m. an URGENT KSU ALERT informed students that all classes will not meet in person as the campus will be closed for the day.

Shortly after 8 a.m., dormitories like Stopher and Johnson Halls’ power was restored.

First Energy is anticipating restoring Kent residents’ powers by 11 a.m.

Kent Police Lt. Mike Lewis said he is unsure how the outage happened, receiving a Flash ALERT like everyone else.

After receiving the alert, the Kent Police Department posted on its Facebook account that there are numerous outages in the city.Traffic lights in Kent, like the one on Mogadore Road intersecting with State Route 261, are out and should be treated as four-way stops.

Lewis does not know when power will be restored to the traffic lights and intersections, but advised people to proceed with caution.

“We just remind people that if the power is out and if it is affecting traffic signals, how to treat that and to treat all intersections as a four-way stop,” he said.

From the traffic lights being out, Lewis said there have been no accidents reported.

“I know it gets busier and everybody starts their morning commute. That is something that we’re worried about, so that’s why we put the social media blast out there,” he said. “To kind of remind people to take it slow and to make sure you treat those intersections as a four-way stop.”

Adriana Gasiewski is the general assignment editor. Contact her at [email protected].