Transformer fire at Magnolia Elementary School in Joppa, Maryland

What happened

On the morning of Tuesday 14 June 2022, the Joppa-Magnolia Volunteer Fire Company attended a transformer fire at Magnolia Elementary School in Joppa, Harford County, Maryland. Emergency crews were called to the site for reports of a fire. Fire officials said they were waiting for the utility, referred to in the report as MyBGE, to de-energise the power supply so that the fire could be extinguished. No injuries had been reported at the time of publication. The report did not state the cause of the fire, the extent of damage or how long the supply was affected.

Contributing factors

Not reported.

Lessons learned

1. Where a transformer fire occurs on or near a school or other public building, the fire service depends on the network operator to isolate supply, so operators should agree isolation procedures and contact routes with local fire services in advance.
2. Fire crews should be told early whether a transformer is energised, so they can plan water and foam use and keep people clear while they wait.
3. Operators should record the time taken to isolate a supply, since delays in de-energisation extend the fire and the disruption to occupied buildings.

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

Source

foxbaltimore.com