Squirrel causes power outage, affecting nearly 2,000 in central Minnesota

About 2,000 residents in central Minnesota were without electricity for a short time Tuesday after a squirrel reportedly caused a power outage. 

The power outage primarily affected the Sauk Rapids area, according to the Benton County Sheriff's Office. The sheriff's office and the power company said a squirrel was responsible for the outage. 

East Central Energy reported that the power was restored at about 3:10 p.m.