By Alletta Cooper
(Additional reporting by Chris Moffitt)

Chapel Hill Police Captain Leo Vereen says a problem with a transformer is the suspected cause of a blackout on Thursday that affected residents and businesses along Martin Luther King Jr. Boulevard.

Shortly after 12:30 p.m. power was lost on MLK between Homestead Road and just past the I-40 intersection.  Parts of Weaver Dairy Road were also without power affecting both Timberlyne and Chapel Hill North shopping centers.  Power was restored to the area just before 2 p.m.

June Kim, the manager of Orange Leaf Frozen Yogurt in Timberlyne, says as soon as the power went out they did what they could to preserve the frozen yogurt and fresh toppings. Luckily, he says, the machines are built in such a way that the yogurt stays cold for up to 24 hours without power.

Employees of a local medical billing office packed into Orange Leaf as soon as power returned. Leah Cook says they were seeking relief from the lack of air-conditioning.

Cook says the blackout was a fun break from the daily routine, but now that power is back on, it’s back to work.