Fire on portable maintenance equipment cuts power at Duke Energy substation in Matthews
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Provisional entry. Confirmed: a fire involving portable maintenance equipment at a Duke Energy substation in Matthews, North Carolina, with thousands of customers reported off supply. Not yet known: the exact number affected, restoration time, damage extent, any injuries and the ignition cause. Next update: 17 September 2026.
A fire was reported at a Duke Energy substation in Matthews, North Carolina, on or shortly before 18 March 2022. According to Duke Energy, the fire occurred on a portable piece of equipment that was being used as part of maintenance work at the substation. The broadcast report states that thousands of customers lost power. Injuries, the extent of damage and the restoration timeline were not reported.
Duke Energy attributed the fire to a portable piece of equipment in use for maintenance activity at the substation. The specific ignition mechanism was not reported.
- Portable equipment brought onto a substation site for maintenance should be subject to the same fire risk assessment, inspection and placement controls as fixed plant.
- Maintenance planning should consider the consequences of a fire on temporary equipment for supply continuity, including switching arrangements that limit customer impact.
- Early public confirmation of the cause and expected restoration helps manage community impact after an equipment-related outage.
Published 2026-09-15. Written from public reporting. Descriptive, not investigative. See the data accuracy disclaimer.