Substation fire cuts power to thousands in Eustis, Florida

A fire broke out at a Duke Energy electrical substation near County Road 44 and Apiary Road in the Grand Island area of Eustis, Florida, on a Sunday evening. The fire ignited around 6:45 pm, producing large flames and thick black smoke visible from nearby neighbourhoods. County Road 44 was shut down in the area as crews responded. The blaze knocked out power to thousands of customers, with Duke Energy reporting between 7,600 and 9,700 customers affected at various points. Fire rescue and other first responders attended the scene. Duke Energy restored power to all affected homes by 5 am the following morning after repair crews worked through the night. The Lake County Sheriff's Office suggested the fire may have been caused by lightning, though Duke Energy stated the cause had not been determined at the time of reporting.

Local law enforcement suggested lightning may have sparked the fire, though the utility said the cause was not confirmed.

1. Substation equipment should be assessed for adequate lightning protection and surge arrestors, particularly in regions prone to severe thunderstorms.
2. Utilities benefit from having rapid-response repair crews and pre-planned outage restoration procedures to minimise the duration of customer outages following substation fires.
3. Coordination with local fire and emergency services, along with road closures around affected infrastructure, helps protect public safety during active substation fires.

clickorlando.com/news/local/2024/07/22/thousands-in-eustis-without-power-...