CMP restored power to customers in Falmouth and Cumberland by 9 p.m. Tuesday, but the Maine State Police and Maine Turnpike Authority had yet to announce when Interstate 295 would be shut down again so crews could replace power lines that fell across the road when a transformer blew during the evening commute.

The northbound lane of I-295 in Falmouth was closed to traffic for about an hour after a transformer blew and the wires fell across the road, the Maine State Police said.

The turnpike authority issued a traffic advisory at 4:36 p.m. warning motorists that I-295 at mile 12 northbound in Falmouth was closed. Motorists were advised to use Exit 10 as a detour, which led to traffic delays on Route 1.

Once the wires were cleared from the heavily traveled highway, the road reopened around 5:02 p.m., but state police issued another tweet, warning that at some point later Tuesday evening northbound lanes would need to be shut down again so that Central Maine Power crews could replace the wires.

At 6:10 p.m., more than 1,800 CMP customers in Falmouth were without power. More than 520 customers in the neighboring town of Cumberland also were without electrical service.


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