About 45,000 customers were without power in Moore County after what an official described as an “intentional, willful and malicious” attack on two substation according to the Sheriff report about the situation saying that that there was an extensive damage found two substations were damaged by gunfire, leaving about 45,000 people without electricity. The county declared a state of emergency on Sunday afternoon, including a curfew starting at 9 p.m. on Sunday lasting to 5 a.m. on Monday It was not clear if the curfew would be extended. State Senator Tom McInnis cited below-freezing temperatures. The outages across Moore County, roughly 90 miles east of Charlotte, began just after 7 p.m. on Saturday, Officials said the power could be out until as late as Thursday. Two power substations in a North Carolina county were damaged by gunfire in what is being investigated as a criminal act, causing damage that could take days to repair and leaving tens of thousands of people without electricity, authorities said Sunday.
Moore County Sheriff Ronnie Fields said “extensive damage” was found at a Moore County substation.
In response to ongoing outages, which began just after 7 p.m. Saturday across Moore County, officials announced a state of emergency that included a curfew from 9 p.m. Sunday to 5 a.m. Monday. Also, county schools will be closed Monday
Dr. Tim Locklear, the county’s school superintendent, announced classes will be canceled Monday.
Locklear said “As we move forward, we’ll be taking it day by day in making those decisions,”
The FBI and state investigators have joined the inquiry to determine who was behind the attack, officials said, as a state of emergency with a 9 p.m. curfew was declared in the county, schools were declared closed for Monday, and shelter was set up for those who need electricity for medical devices or heating.