Thrill seekers go nuts after squirrel causes power outage at Busch Gardens
Tampa’s Busch Gardens was back up and running after an hours-long power blackout caused by a squirrel at the weekend.
Power went out at the park as it opened Saturday morning causing anger among some visitors with little information communicated to people.
It affected the entire park and it took about four hours for partial power to be restored.
The culprit was an inquisitive squirrel which managed to get into a substation which supplies electricity to the park.
The park tweeted: "Busch Gardens Tampa Bay is experiencing a power outage. We are currently delaying entry into the park, and our ambassadors are working with TECO (Tampa Electric) to restore power as soon as possible."
TECO spokeswoman Sylvia Vega said the outage only affected Busch Gardens.
Park visitors complained of restaurants with no ice, problems accessing the restrooms and long lines everywhere.
Full power was restored by mid-afternoon and the park stayed open later in the evening to appease visitors.
No news yet on whether the squirrel survived its substation adventure.
It’s not the first time a squirrel has been to blame for major disruption to travelers and tourists.
Two years ago another furry critter sneaked into a substation serving Buffalo Niagara International Airport, causing travel delays around the airport and the delay of one flight.
TravelMole Editorial Team
Editor for TravelMole North America and Asia pacific regions. Ray is a highly experienced (15+ years) skilled journalist and editor predominantly in travel, hospitality and lifestyle working with a huge number of major market-leading brands. He has also cover in-depth news, interviews and features in general business, finance, tech and geopolitical issues for a select few major news outlets and publishers.
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