How a 2003 blackout brought New York City to a standstill

A series of fires broke out around the city. In an effort to see in the dark, many New Yorkers had lit candles indoors, and curtains and furniture accidentally caught fire. “I just remember it turning into this nightmare situation where it was non-stop,” Sharon Hawa, who worked for the American Red Cross at the time, told the organisation’s podcast in 2021. “It was like a wildfire happening in the city.”

Fewer arrests than usual

Fire crews were called out to more than 60 residential fires that night, with two deaths attributed to the use of fire to provide light. “The borough of Brooklyn alone had 25 working fires in a 24-hour period,” said New York Fire Chief Thomas Richardson. “That’s a lot for one borough. Typically, in the city we get between a dozen and 20 fires citywide for a 24-hour period.” 

It was far from the first blackout the Big Apple had suffered. In 1977, there was a massive power outage when lightning struck key transmission lines. That time there had been widespread looting and rioting, leading to some 3,800 arrests and more than 1000 fires. But the mood in the city in 2003 was closer to that of the 1965 blackout, in which New Yorkers had come together to help each other and make the best of the situation.

“Darkness brought more menace but none of the lawlessness and looting which many city leaders feared,” said Bryant. “The people of New York are learning to cope with the unexpected. After the attacks of 11 September, this has become a battle-hardened city.” In the end, there was little blackout-related crime, with around 100 fewer arrests recorded than usual.