by Staff | Nov 29, 2012 7:44 pm

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Posted to: East Rock, Fair Haven, Jocelyn Square

(Updated) A video camera at English Station captured the image of a man cutting wires—an action that landed him in the hospital and that turned off the lights to thousands of homes.

The power went out at 4:07 p.m. for thousands of customers in and around East Rock, United Illuminating’s website reported shortly before 5 p.m.

The number of New Haveners without power stood at 2,524 as of 6:42 p.m., according to the website’s outage map.

A UI spokesman said he didn’t know when the electricity would come back on. Police had secured the location of the problem as a crime scene.

Officials later reported the electricity had gone back on at 7:30 p.m.

Police spokesman Officer Dave Hartman described the alleged crime:

A 24-year-old man suffered second- and third-degree burns and ran home to Mill River Street. He called for an ambulance. Firefighters went to his home, then transported him to the hospital, according to Assistant Fire Chief Ralph Black.

On the way to the hospital the man told EMTs that he had suffered the burns while crossing railroad tracks, Hartman said.

A video taken at the English Station power plant off Grand Avenue told a different story. Police reviewed the video and saw the man cutting copper wire.

Meanwhile, “UI is reluctant to turn the power back on until they find out if the police investigation is going to need things to remain where they are,” Hartman said. Police are still investigating the incident and the power may need to remain off while they gather evidence.

Hartman said the man is in “critical but stable” condition. He was “airlifted to the Bridgeport Burn Center for further treatment.”