Underground transformer fire blows manhole covers off in downtown Albany

An underground electrical transformer fire caused by electrical arcing led to two explosions in downtown Albany, New York, blowing manhole covers off near the intersection of Henry Johnson Boulevard and State Street. The blast concussion shattered windows in nearby buildings and damaged two parked cars. Residents of several buildings, including a 66-unit residential building, were evacuated for approximately two hours due to carbon monoxide and smoke concerns, and had to leave again after the building lost power. National Grid, the utility operator, worked with city fire, police and water departments to manage road closures, canvass evacuated buildings, and inspect underground water infrastructure for damage. Repairs were expected to take up to 24 hours, with some customers facing extended outages while an electrical contractor installed temporary generators at affected homes.

National Grid attributed the fire to electrical arcing in underground equipment.

1. Underground electrical arcing faults can escalate rapidly into explosive events affecting surface infrastructure and nearby buildings.
2. Coordinated multi-agency response (fire, police, utility, water authority) is essential when underground failures may compromise other buried infrastructure.
3. Utilities should have contingency plans for temporary power provision, such as generators, when repairs to damaged underground electrical infrastructure are expected to take extended periods.

wamc.org/capital-region-news/2019-02-01/albany-city-and-national-...