The World - News from Aug. 10, 1986

Engineers restored electricity to the downtown section of Ottawa, ending a three-day blackout in the Canadian capital caused by a fire at a power substation. Repair efforts were plagued by soot from the fire in a control panel that settled on the switching equipment and bydampness from rain. Portable heaters finally were used to dry the equipment, Ottawa Hydro officials said. The federal government sent home 30,000 employees Thursday after the lights went off in the 100-square-block area, and released more than 15,000 workers again Friday. Downtown businesses also were hard hit by the blackout.