Explosion reported at Con Edison substation closes Commerce Street in Thornwood
Oct 2018Published 16 Sept 2026Responsible editor: Chief Editor
- Where
- Consolidated Edison substation in Thornwood
- Operator
- Consolidated Edison
- What
- Explosion reported, Commerce Street closed
- Injuries
- None reported
- Cause
- Not reported
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Companies named in the reporting of this entry (being named is not a finding of fault): Con Edison, Metro-North Railroad
What happened
On 17 October 2018, Mount Pleasant police said an explosion was reported at about 1 p.m. at the Consolidated Edison substation in Thornwood, and that Commerce Street was closed. No injuries were reported. The same afternoon, a Metro-North Railroad alert told Harlem Line customers to expect delays of up to 15 minutes because of a Con Edison oil spill in the vicinity of Hawthorne. The report does not say whether that spill was at the substation, or what caused the explosion.
Contributing factors
The cause was not reported.
Lessons learned
- A substation explosion can close nearby roads, so operators should alert road and rail authorities at once.
- An oil spill alert near a substation needs site and time checks before linking the events.
- Treat any substation explosion as a live electrical and oil hazard until isolation is confirmed.
More lessons on electrical protection and isolation, from every incident on the register.
Not yet known
- Cause of the explosion
- Whether oil spill was at the substation
- Equipment model and age
- Length of road and rail disruption
This entry is updated when these are reported. Get an alert for the next one like it.
Source
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Other entries that name Commerce
Published 2026-09-16. Written from public reporting. Descriptive, not investigative. See the data accuracy disclaimer.
