Electrical components on power line catch fire, explode in Nanaimo

CHEK

WATCH:A power line fire in Nanaimo on March 20. Credit: Adrian Hunjet and Sean Sorensen. 

It was quite a shocking sight for some people who happened to be on Departure Bay Road in Nanaimo Tuesday morning.

Several people witnessed electrical components catch fire and explode Tuesday morning around 9:45 a.m.

Adrian Hunjet told CHEK News he had stopped to get some gas when the power line next to the gas station caught fire. He then saw the explosion.

Hunjet said the power at the Petro-Canada gas station went out and some stop lights in the area were also not functioning.

“It was pretty freaky considering I was parked next to a gas pump during the explosion,” Hunjet said.

Fire crews arrived soon after the explosion. No one was injured.

BC Hydro said the cause of the fire and explosion was a transformer failure. Approximately 2,800 customers were affected and the power was restored around 10:30 a.m.

 

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