A blown fuse knocked out power and phone service yesterday at the Annapolis headquarters for Anne Arundel County government, leaving 300 county employees with no place to work for nearly five hours.

At the start of the day there was no power. The offices of the county executive, the state's attorney, the county budget and finance department and U.S. Rep. Wayne T. Gilchrest were all darkened. Workers were able to accomplish little as they waited for it to be restored.

At 11 a.m., employees were told they could "take a long lunch," according to Andrew C. Carpenter, a county spokesman.

Utility workers restored power at 1: 55 p.m.

The incident was not believed to be related to stormy weather that briefly knocked out power to other Annapolis-area buildings.