Apparent transformer failure causes explosion and brief outage in Sheboygan

What happened

The apparent failure of a power transformer near South Business Drive and Union Avenue in Sheboygan caused an explosion. Witness reports said the blast set fire to the power pole holding the transformer. The noise was heard for many blocks around the site. The power interruption that followed was brief by most accounts.

Contributing factors

The cause of the apparent transformer failure has not been reported.

Lessons learned

1. A distribution transformer can fail with an explosion and a loud noise heard well beyond the site.
2. Early witness accounts of fire and of how long the outage lasted should be checked against the utility record.
3. Operators should confirm that any pole fire is out and that supply has been restored before treating the event as closed.

Source

whbl.com