[Update: Downed Line, Power Mostly Restored] Blown Transformer Sparks Grass Fire, Knocks Out Power to Nearly 4,400 Customers Near Arcata

Stock photo of a transformer on fire. [Photo by Francis Martin]

According to scanner traffic, multiple callers reported downed lines and a possible transformer explosion with flames near Janes Road and Foster Avenue around 2:30 p.m. The call was upgraded to a vegetation fire after arriving units reported smoke in the grass along with the downed power lines. Fire crews had the flames out within minutes, with the unit on scene radioing to cancel additional resources and continue with PG&E.

PG&E reported both outages to its system at 2:26 p.m., just before the scanner call went out, suggesting the outages are related to the same incident. One outage affected 1,429 customers, while a second affected 2,940 customers, for a combined total of nearly 4,400 without power at the height of the incident.

PG&E’s outage tracker listed the cause for both outages as damage to the electrical system requiring inspection and repair before crews could safely restore power. One outage had an estimated restoration time of 5:45 p.m. Wednesday evening, while the other had no estimated restoration time as crews worked to assess the damage.

Redheaded Blackbelt has reached out to a PG&E media representative and will update this article as more information becomes available.

Update 4:21 p.m.: 

PG&E Public Information Officer Megan McFarland told Redheaded Blackbelt that while early 911 reports from residents indicated a possible blown transformer and a pole fire, crews who responded found neither. “We did not find those, we just found the wire down,” McFarland said. She said the cause of the downed line has not yet been determined.

PG&E dispatched three troublemen to the scene within the hour to assess the damage and secure the area before repair work could begin, McFarland said.

Redheaded Blackbelt had initially reported two separate outages showing on PG&E’s online outage map, one listing about 2,940 customers and another listing about 1,429, both with the same start time. McFarland called back after checking with her team and said the second number was not showing on PG&E’s internal system and appeared to be a glitch on the public outage map. The confirmed outage affected roughly 2,940 customers.

As of this report, only 29 customers remain without power. Their estimated power restoral time is 10:15 p.m. tonight.

PG&E is reminding residents that if they see a downed power line, they should stay away and call 911 immediately. A downed line may still be energized even if it appears dead.

Redheaded Blackbelt will continue to update as more information becomes available.