Apparent transformer fire sends smoke and flames from a Lowell street

What happened

On 20 May 2024, heavy smoke and flames were reported from the street in downtown Lowell, Massachusetts, in what NBC Boston described as an apparent transformer fire. Aerial video showed large clouds of black smoke and heavy flames in the area of Warren Street around 2:45 p.m., from what appeared to be a transformer or a dumpster. Firefighters had just arrived. A National Grid spokesperson said the company was investigating the cause and had cut power to the transformer to make the scene safe for first responders. National Grid said about 120 customers were left without power. Injuries, the precise origin of the flames, and the cause were not reported.

Contributing factors

The cause was not reported. National Grid said it was investigating.

Lessons learned

1. Early reports of a street fire near grid equipment may not yet distinguish the asset from nearby combustibles, so operators should confirm what is involved before stating a cause.
2. Isolating the transformer can make the scene safer for firefighters while the origin is still unclear.
3. Customer outage figures should be taken from the network operator, and public accounts should stay hedged until the investigation reports.

Source

nbcboston.com