Transformer explosion at Edison substation causes downtown Fullerton outage
June 2019Published 12 Oct 2026Responsible editor: Chief Editor
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What happened
Around 10:30pm on Thursday 6 June 2019, a transformer at the Edison electrical power substation next to the Fullerton train station exploded several times and burst into flames, according to a single local report. The incident caused a temporary power outage in downtown Fullerton. Fullerton fire, police and Edison employees responded and put the fire out. Residents of the nearby Soco Walk apartments were temporarily evacuated for safety reasons. A resident who witnessed the event described a series of loud explosions followed by a large fire and smoke.
Contributing factors
The source does not report the cause of the transformer failure.
Lessons learned
- Transformers close to public buildings and transport hubs can need fire separation, oil containment and clear evacuation distances.
- Operators can benefit from emergency response planning with local fire services so that transformer fires can be isolated and extinguished quickly.
- Substation faults can cut power across a wide area, so operators may need to plan how load is restored or rerouted.
More lessons on spacing, layout and fire spread, fire suppression and firefighting, from every incident on the register.
Source
Other entries that name Edison
- Transformer fire reported at a Con Edison facility in Chelsea, Manhattan
- Wildfire de-energisation and fire damage hit Southern California Edison network in Palisades and Eaton fires
- Transformer fire at Con Edison substation cuts power in Dongan Hills, Staten Island
- Fire at Con Edison substation cuts power to Staten Island customers
- Con Edison substation fire at West 64th Street triggers Manhattan blackout
Published 2026-10-12. Written from public reporting. Descriptive, not investigative. See the data accuracy disclaimer.
