Underground transformer fire destroys three parked cars in East Orange
Apr 2023Published 6 Nov 2026Responsible editor: Chief Editor
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Companies named in the reporting of this entry (being named is not a finding of fault): PSE&G
What happened
On Friday 28 April 2023, at around 8.15am, a manhole exploded at the corner of North Munn Avenue and Summit Street in East Orange, New Jersey, releasing flames. Officials said a PSE&G underground transformer malfunctioned and the car parked over it caught fire, spreading to two others and destroying three cars in total. The source reports that a faulty underground cable started the chain reaction, and that electrical surges affected the surrounding area.
Nearby residents and students at a mosque were evacuated to a nearby YMCA. A police officer directing traffic suffered minor injuries after being struck by a car. No residents were injured. PSE&G said 40 customers were without power. The cause is under investigation.
Contributing factors
Officials said old infrastructure may have played a role in the malfunction. The East Orange fire chief said the city has structural issues with its infrastructure and that similar events have occurred about five or six times in his 23 years in the role. The source does not confirm the root cause.
Lessons learned
- Keep parked vehicles and pedestrians clear of street-level manholes and underground electrical vaults, and consider exclusion zones where equipment is located under roadside parking.
- Prioritise inspection and replacement of ageing underground distribution transformers and cables in dense urban networks, where a single fault can spread quickly.
- Include underground electrical fires in evacuation and traffic control plans for nearby schools, places of worship and public buildings.
More lessons on spacing, layout and fire spread, emergency response and public communication, from every incident on the register.
Source
Other entries that name Orange
Published 2026-11-06. Written from public reporting. Descriptive, not investigative. See the data accuracy disclaimer.
