Grid infrastructureUnited StatesEIR-2795

Transformer explosion sparks roof fire at Ithaca bakery

July 2018Published 6 Nov 2026Responsible editor: Chief Editor

SignificantElectrical

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supply cut for about •• daysShown in the record →Full estimate

From the recordRoot cause Failed part

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What happened

The roof of the historic Ithaca Bakery on North Meadow Street in Ithaca caught fire on a Wednesday morning, around 8:30 a.m. Firefighters arrived to find smoke and flames on the roof. Officials said a transformer had exploded and an electric service cable feeding the building was burning, and that this ignited the roof. Firefighters used dry chemical powder and the fire took about an hour to extinguish. No one was hurt. The fire remains under investigation.

Contributing factors

Officials said a transformer exploded and that the electric service cable feeding the building burned and set fire to the roof. The cause of the transformer failure has not been reported.

Lessons learned

Transformer failures can throw burning material onto adjacent buildings, so fire plans for buildings fed by pole or pad-mounted transformers should cover roof and service-cable fires.
Utilities and building owners should agree on who inspects and maintains the service connection and the transformer serving a building.
Firefighters should confirm that the electrical supply has been isolated before applying water or powder to energised equipment, as the hazard can persist after an explosion.

More lessons on spacing, layout and fire spread, electrical protection and isolation, fire suppression and firefighting, from every incident on the register.

Source

cnycentral.com

Published 2026-11-06. Written from public reporting. Descriptive, not investigative. See the data accuracy disclaimer.

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Root cause: ••••••••••••••••
Failed part: •••••••
Fire service response: ••••••••••
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Grid infrastructure incidents in the United States: 437 entries, with a free alert for the next one.

Substation and transformer fires: the counts, the latest entries and a free alert for the next one. Also: transformer explosions and power line and cable failures.

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