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Power Goes Out At One Of Center City's Largest Homeless Shelters

By Mike Dougherty

PHILADELPHIA (CBS) -- It wasn't the weather, but a major electrical fault in the building that has left one of Center City's largest homeless shelters without power Saturday.

The power went out around 2 a.m.  at the Sunday Breakfast Rescue Mission at 13th and Arch Streets.

"That turns the heat off, the lights off, the kitchen is not functioning, because we can't see to cook," says Dick McMillen, executive director of Sunday Breakfast. "It's a real problem."

Despite it's name, McMillen says the shelter serves three meals a day, every day and provides overnight accommodations for up to 175 men.

"We're so used to helping some of those people that are most hurting in the homeless," he says, "and to not to be able to be there for them is really terrible."

McMillen says they were turning people away and directing them to shelter at a church a couple of blocks away.

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