Substation transformer fire cuts power to Centerville neighbourhood
Feb 2017Published 20 Sept 2026Responsible editor: Chief Editor
- Where
- electrical substation on Old Stage Road in Centerville, Massachusetts
- Operator
- Eversource
- What
- transformer fire knocked out power to nearby residents
- Cause
- Not reported
- Response
- Local fire department responded; second engine and rescue from neighbour
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What happened
On a Sunday morning, an electrical substation on Old Stage Road in Centerville, Massachusetts, operated by Eversource, experienced a transformer fire that knocked out power to nearby residents. The local fire department received multiple calls at around 9:25am and arrived to find a small amount of smoke. Within minutes the two transformers were fully alight, with flames reaching approximately 25 feet into the air and black smoke visible from the control tower at a nearby airport.
A second fire engine and a rescue vehicle from a neighbouring fire department responded. Nearby residents reported hearing loud explosions and feeling their houses shake. Eversource brought in a temporary generator later that day to restore power while replacement of the damaged transformers was carried out.
Contributing factors
Not reported.
Lessons learned
- Substation transformers can escalate from small smoke to full fire in minutes, so operators must plan for rapid multi-agency response and early isolation.
- Explosions at substations can alarm nearby residents, so utilities should issue prompt public updates during incidents.
- Temporary generators allow quick power restoration after substation transformer damage while repairs proceed.
More lessons on electrical protection and isolation, detection and monitoring, from every incident on the register.
Not yet known
- Exact cause of the transformer fire
- Model and age of the failed transformers
- Duration of the power outage
- Cost of repairs and replacement
This entry is updated when these are reported. Get an alert for the next one like it.
Source
Other entries that name Centerville
Published 2026-09-20. Written from public reporting. Descriptive, not investigative. See the data accuracy disclaimer.
