Work Continues by Consolidated to Restore Service

(WHAT'S LEFT OF THE CABINET AFTER IT WAS STRUCK BY A VEHICLE TUESDAY MORNING)

Crews from Consolidated Communications continue their work to restore service after a vehicle struck a cabinet containing connections to hundreds of phone, internet and TV customers Tuesday morning.

The crash destroyed the cabinet. A new cabinet is on order, but won't be available for four to six weeks. In the meantime, Consolidated employees have a patchboard mounted beneath a tent cover along South 4th Street outside the Lincolnland Building. The work involves making sure each connection is good and that connection is then put back into service. One of those working at the scene said customers are going back online one at a time as the connections are completed. The focus is getting business customers back online, then residential customers.

The crash happened after a northbound vehicle ran off the roadway and plowed into the cabinet. The driver told city police he fell asleep at the wheel.