Underground Transformer Blows in Rockaway Beach

At about 8:45 a.m. on Tuesday, April 1, an underground transformer blew at Beach 98th and Beach Channel Drive, sending a fireball and swarms of black smoke into the air, and leaving hundreds without power in the surrounding area.

FDNY responded to put out the fire, while PSE&G worked to restore power to customers. Even nearby schools at the Beach Channel Educational Campus were impacted by the power outage, but it was restored within a few hours, with the last customers receiving power back by 7 p.m. on Tuesday. It is unclear what caused the transformer vault to explode.

 Photo by Brian McGovern.