While workers scrambled to restart their failed power system, New York City's police force tried to maintain order.
Shop owners describe watching locals loot their store during the NYC blackout of 1977.
"The civilization that was New York came unglued for 24 hours, and that's what our story is about."
During the 1977 blackout in New York City, Christopher Vanager was a 12-year-old living in Brooklyn with his mother.
Charlie Durkin, former chief system operator at Consolidated Edison electric company, discusses the 1965 and 1977 blackouts.
