Electrical malfunction closes Oakhill today

YOUNGSTOWN

Mahoning County’s Oakhill Renaissance Place office complex, which was closed all day today due to a power failure, was to reopen for business as usual Friday morning.

County Commissioner Carol Rimedio-Righetti and Robert E. Bush Jr., county Job and Family Services director, made the announcement late Thursday afternoon.

Bush said electrical power had been fully restored to the building late Thursday afternoon.

The fire department responded to an automatic alarm at 3:30 a.m. Thursday from the former hospital, which had smoke in its basement, a sheriff’s deputy said.

Bush said the fire alarm was triggered by an electric power surge, but he did not know the reason for the surge.

County officials had hoped to open the building at 10 a.m., but gave up on that idea and sent county employees home at 9 a.m., the deputy said.

Visitors to the complex were greeted by a nearly empty parking lot and signs on the building’s doors that read “Closed due to power outage.”

Read more about the situation in Friday's Vindicator or on Vindy.com.