Fire and explosion at AEP Texas substation in San Angelo, Texas

A structure fire broke out at an electrical substation operated by AEP Texas in San Angelo, Texas. Emergency services attended the scene and witnesses reported a loud fiery explosion coming from the substation as it burned. AEP Texas staff were seen using fire extinguishers and disconnecting the substation from nearby power lines to isolate the fault. Roads adjacent to the site were closed to allow first responders access. Thousands of customers in the surrounding area were reported without power around the same time, though it was not confirmed whether this outage was directly caused by the substation fire. A nearby school was placed on a precautionary safety hold while emergency crews responded, although it was not confirmed whether this was directly linked to the substation fire. No injuries were reported at the time of the initial reporting, and the cause of the fire had not been determined.

Not reported.

1. Substation fires can escalate quickly to explosive failure, so rapid isolation from the wider network is critical to limiting further damage and hazard.
2. Coordination between utility crews and emergency services, including road closures and clear communication, helps protect the public during an active substation fire.
3. Nearby sensitive facilities such as schools should have clear protocols for precautionary safety holds when an energy asset incident occurs in the vicinity, even before a direct link is confirmed.

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