Transformer explosion causes outage near school in New Rochelle
Dec 2024Published 30 Sept 2026
Companies named in this entry: Con Edison
What happened
A transformer exploded near Trinity Elementary School on Pelham Road in New Rochelle. Witnesses reported that the outage began around 6:13 a.m., with flames visible on top of a pole in front of the school. Con Edison's outage map indicated that 528 customers were without power for several hours. Pelham Road was closed from Church Street to North Avenue. Crews attended, power was restored by around 10:50 a.m., and the road later reopened. The report said this was the second transformer fire in the same area in recent weeks, after another fire on 21 November.
Contributing factors
The cause was not reported.
Lessons learned
- A pole-mounted transformer failure can cut supply and close a road beside a school, so operators should plan alternative access and timely customer updates.
- A second fire in the same area within weeks should prompt inspection of nearby equipment.
- Outage maps and restoration times should be recorded so the length of the interruption is clear.
Source
Published 2026-09-30. Written from public reporting. Descriptive, not investigative. See the data accuracy disclaimer.