Power restored in New Westminster after electrical fire closes bridge

An empty Queensborough Bridge is seen on Wednesday, Oct. 25, 2017.

The Queensborough Bridge has reopened and power has been restored to thousands after an electrical fire put left of New Westminster in the dark for several hours.

A fire sparked early Wednesday morning, blowing a circuit and cutting power to schools, homes and businesses in the area. The lights and signage on the bridge were also out, so it was closed completely during the morning commute.

Crews were brought in to examine the bridge for structural damage, and three of the four lanes were reopened by the evening rush hour. Power was also restored to some parts of the city, but many were without until late Wednesday night or Thursday morning.

The lines weren't reenergized until about 3 a.m. Thursday, the city said.

Crews said the electrical lines were damaged and needed to be replaced, but it is not yet known why the lines under the bridge caught fire. Officials said the cables in the area were about 20 years old, but did not say what condition they were in before the incident.