Thursday evening began like any other on the UT Martin campus, but a power outage gave everyone a change of scenery.

Some students were in the computer labs browsing the internet, some were in the library putting in some study time, while others were strolling the lobbies of the dorms, lingering in the University Center, or catching the final minutes of the New Jersey Nets and New York Knicks game. Then, all of a sudden, the power went out.

The first time it happened it took a few seconds and came back on. Then just as everyone started back doing whatever they doing the power went out again. Students made their way outside where it was pitch black. At first some students thought that a thunderstorm was the cause of the power outage but it was not.

According to Safety and Security the cause behind the power outage was due to a transformer that blew. The power was out for about forty minutes.

Samuel Stentson, a Computer Science major from Halls, Tenn., was in the library typing a research paper when the power went out. "At first I thought a lighting storm was the cause of the blackout until I packed my bag up and went outside," Stentson says. "This could not have happened at a worse time."

The Pacer made contact with the Weakley County Municipal Electric Systems to see what caused the transformer to explode. The operator said that they were not allowed to make comments to the media. No one with speaking privileges was available by press time.