A power failure that affected some 1,400 New York State Electric and Gas customers early this morning has been traced to copper theft at an electric substation.
Someone cut through a fence at around 5 a.m. and cut down copper grounding wires at a NYSEG substation on Walden Avenue in Alden.
NYSEG crews had to cut power for users in Clarence, Lancaster and Alden for about two hours to make repairs and there have also been reports of a fire at the transformer site.
The incident is under investigation by the Erie County Sheriff's Department.