Explosion and fire at Portland electrical substation

What happened

Explosions and a fire occurred at an electrical substation at the intersection of Northeast 60th Avenue and Stark Street in Portland. Firefighters responded shortly after 9 p.m. to reports of a transformer problem and found heavy fire within the fenced substation area. Neighbours reported a fireball and power outages. Crews kept the fire from spreading to nearby structures. After utility operators arrived, they used one water line and chemical suppressants. No surrounding buildings were affected and no injuries were reported. The cause was not stated.

Contributing factors

The cause was not reported. Firefighting was complicated because electricity continued to flow through the substation and oil from the transformer fed the flames.

Lessons learned

1. Coordinate closely with utility operators before attempting to suppress fires at live electrical sites.
2. Establish safe perimeters early when electrical fires are suspected.
3. Assess risk of fire spread to adjacent structures before committing resources inside fenced areas.

Source

kptv.com