dark except for their emergency lights. we ll take a look up 6th avenue, it would normally be packed with cars. it s now packed with people and empty with cars as police shut down a number of intersections to allow the fire department to get through to 44,000 customer without power. that s customers. that could be a single building without power and people stuck in the elevators. the new york fire department saying they are dealing with multiple reports of people stuck in elevators across the upper westside and midtown manhattan. is there not panic on the streets. but there are there is a lot of people on the streets and a lot of confusion on the streets. ebb some hotels told people to walk out of their
and breathing. that s where you will find most of of the problems. they will be stuck in their upper floor apartments. these are 10 amounts from the early 20th century and and 19th century. people are going to be unfortunately very, very hot. it will be difficult. and older people will have a hard time. leland: joe, we ll let you get back to your job. i know you have constituents to look after. we ll check back in with you throughout the night. we are now 2 1/2 hours into this blackout between 50th street and 70th street on the westside of manhattan. you are looking at times square where you can see folks on the streets. very few cars.
broadway shows brought their concert out on the streets. the carnegie hall concert moved out on to the streets. and people are getting along just as best they can. managing. the sun has gone down so it s a little bit cooler. i am here with a street vendor, where you were when the lights went dark. you said people wear little bit startled, but not panicked. i try to meet somebody, and when we go to the store we see dark area and it shut down and nobody can buy anything. today, 6th avenue. reporter: you are running one of your street carts.
out. a lot of those rescues are happening in residential areas. just talking to a couple actually. you were talking about your experience when the lights went out and the hotel told you you might want to go outside? we had been in the city for 20 minutes and the lights went out. our key card worked. it wants as scary on the streets. reporter: what was the feeling when you got into the lobby. staff was pointing to what they needed to do. i think most of of the confusion was out in the streets. we saw masses of people out in the theater district and coming out of restaurants and stores where there were dark buildings. reporter: we are going back to a time when cash is king. we have the street vendor behind
a potential press conference. todd, we ll let you continue to make your way west through the pitch black streets of new york city. todd, we appreciate you being with us. for those of you have joining us, it s we are three are sent to a blackout that is affected much as an midtown manhattan people stuck in subways for an hour and people still stuck in elevators. the new york police department and the new york fire department with emergency crews as they look up into the sky and see the lights of new york out in times square.