NEW YORK (AP) — New York police say a transformer has exploded at a Con Edison facility in Queens.
They said a fire that broke out at the facility Thursday night is under control and no injuries have been reported.
ADVISORY: The lights you have seen throughout the city appear to have been from a transformer explosion at a Con Ed facility in Queens. The fire is under control, will update as more info becomes available. Follow @fdny, @NYPD114pct and @conedison. pic.twitter.com/fdzQKs1wVV
— NYPD NEWS (@NYPDnews) December 28, 2018
The explosion caused a bright blue light that illuminated the New York skyline. The lights caused a stir on social media as several witnesses posted photographs and videos of the flash.
Appears to be an explosion at the con Ed plant in Astoria @ConEdison … Bright as day. Sounded like a transformer. #breakingnews #astoria #nyc @channel pic.twitter.com/4jZ54iMExU
— ManYourStyle (@ManYourStyleNY) December 28, 2018
What is happening? #NYC #Astoria pic.twitter.com/M5lovKRTit
— Christian Yesid (@XtianYesid) December 28, 2018
December 27, 2018 > The day the night sky turned blue over New York City. Apparent incident at power plant in #Astoria. pic.twitter.com/oaQApuMkvf
— Oren Segal (@orensegal) December 28, 2018
Mayor Bill de Blasio’s spokesman Eric Phillips tweeted that the lights were attributable to a “blown transformer” at the Queens facility. He said there are scattered power outages, including at LaGuardia Airport.
Fire officials said they were fielding numerous calls for reports of explosions in the Long Island City and Astoria areas.
The Metropolitan Transit Authority said power outages were affecting 7 trains.
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