Transformer explosion and fire disrupts Metro-North New Haven Line service

What happened

On Sunday 15 January 2017, at around 8:30 am, a transformer exploded and burned above the New Haven Line railroad tracks in South Norwalk, Connecticut. A Norwalk patrol officer reported an explosion and fireball from a railroad catenary structure adjacent to Madison Street. Norwalk firefighters attended but could not approach the fire because high-voltage power lines run above the tracks. Metro-North Railroad's Power Department waited about 90 minutes for the fire to burn out before starting to replace the damaged transformer.

Several tracks were taken out of service for a period. Metro-North reported service delays of up to an hour on the New Haven Line into the afternoon, and by 11:45 am all four mainline tracks were back in use. The cause had not been determined when the report was published.

Contributing factors

The cause of the explosion and fire had not been determined at the time of reporting. Firefighters could not approach the fire because of the energised overhead power lines above the tracks.

Lessons learned

1. Operators of energised overhead structures should agree access and isolation procedures with fire services so responders know when and how they can approach.
2. Where live lines prevent safe firefighting, plan for controlled burn-out and have replacement crews and spare transformers ready to limit track closures.
3. Monitor the condition of traction and substation transformers through inspection and diagnostic testing to detect faults before they fail.

More lessons on worker safety and safe systems of work, fire suppression and firefighting, detection and monitoring, from every incident on the register.

Source

stamfordadvocate.com