Transformer explosion at New York grid substation lights sky blue

What happened

A transformer exploded at a Con Edison electrical facility in Astoria, Queens, New York City, on the evening of 27 December 2018. The explosion produced an intense flash of blue light that lit up the sky over parts of the city, visible from Manhattan and other boroughs, and was widely captured on video and shared on social media. The New York Police Department confirmed the incident was a transformer explosion at the Con Edison facility and stated there were no injuries and no fire.

The 114th Precinct later said the explosion was determined to be a non-suspicious equipment malfunction. Local residents were asked to avoid the area while the incident was brought under control. No evacuation or wider power outage was reported in the source material.

Contributing factors

The cause was described by police as an equipment malfunction; no further technical detail on the failure mechanism was reported.

Lessons learned

1. A transformer explosion at a grid substation can create a visible arc flash over a wide area without starting a fire, so operators should fit remote monitoring to detect early signs of insulation failure.
2. An equipment malfunction at a substation can draw public attention through social media, so operators must issue clear statements on injuries and fire risk within minutes.

More lessons on worker safety and safe systems of work, emergency response and public communication, from every incident on the register.

Not yet known

• Transformer model and age
• Failure mechanism details
• Duration of any site restrictions
• Cost of repairs

This entry is updated when these are reported. Get an alert for the next one like it.

Source

businessinsider.com