Grid infrastructureUnited StatesEIR-1047

Fire at ComEd substation in Norridge causes power outages

Apr 2021Published 18 Sept 2026Responsible editor: Chief Editor

SignificantThermal / fireProvisional

Estimated damageEstimated by the register's adjusterHow? Know the real figure?

supply cut for about •• daysShown in the record →Full estimate

From the recordRoot cause Failed part

Where: substation at 8275 W. Montrose Ave in Norridge, Illinois
Operator: ComEd
What: Fire after transformer blew up
Injuries: No one was injured
Response: Fire departments from several jurisdictions attended

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Companies named in the reporting of this entry (being named is not a finding of fault): ComEd

What happened

A fire broke out on 4 April 2021 at a ComEd substation at 8275 W. Montrose Ave in Norridge, Illinois. First responders said a transformer at the substation blew up and sparked the fire. Fire departments from several jurisdictions, including Park Ridge and Elmwood Park, attended. The substation is unmanned and no one was injured. ComEd confirmed the fire caused some power outages. It said there was no exact count of households affected. Its website showed 160 customers without power in Norridge at 5:30 p.m., fewer than 5 per cent of customers in the suburb. Power had been restored to all customers by 6 p.m.

Lessons learned

Unmanned substations need detection and a clear call-out path so a fire can be reached quickly.
Utilities should state what is known about outage numbers during an incident.
Neighbouring fire services need a shared plan for access and isolation at a substation fire.

More lessons on detection and monitoring, outages, backup supply and restoration, fire suppression and firefighting, from every incident on the register.

Not yet known

Exact number of households affected
Age and model of the transformer
Duration of any supply interruption

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Source

cbsnews.com

Other entries that name ComEd

Fire reported at ComEd electrical substation in Hoffman Estates, Illinois EIR-0424 · 2025
Underground ComEd transformer fire cuts power in Chicago's South Loop EIR-0963 · 2020
Fire breaks out at ComEd substation on Goose Island in Chicago EIR-1161 · 2019

Published 2026-09-18. Written from public reporting. Descriptive, not investigative. See the data accuracy disclaimer.

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The record behind this entry

The record behind EIR-1047 holds the site, the operator, the root cause, what failed and the fire service response as fields you can filter, count and export, with its source and their verification status. Companies are named in the roles the sources give them. Being named is not a finding of fault.

Site: ••••••••••••
Operator: •••••••••
Root cause: ••••••••••••••••
Failed part: •••••••
Fire service response: ••••••••••
Sources: ••••••••

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