Video footage shows the devastating aftermath of an explosion at a power grid in Pennsylvania, with massive flames and dark smoke billowing in the air.
The Duquesne Light power station on Pittsburgh’s Brunot Island was rocked by several explosions late Monday night, resulting in multiple fires at the facility, local outlet TribLive reported. Officials said the fires began at approximately 8:20 p.m. after a reactor “catastrophically failed.” The island is located on the Ohio River that runs through Pittsburgh. Since access to the area is reportedly limited, firefighters didn’t begin battling the blaze until 11 p.m., TribLive continued.
🚨#BREAKING: Multiple Authorities Responding to Large Explosion and fire at a Power Plant⁰⁰📌#Pittsburgh | #PA
⁰Currently, multiple law enforcement and government agencies have responding to a significant two alarm fire incident at the Power Grid plant located on Brunot… pic.twitter.com/cHlvgRVTxF— R A W S A L E R T S (@rawsalerts) July 25, 2023
In addition to access issues, fire officials struggled to safely fight the fire due to “energized power equipment” operating at over 340,000 volts, Assistant Pittsburgh Fire Chief Brian Kokkila told the outlet.
“It’s going to be a long night. I know it looks like we’re moving slowly, but we’re actually moving very fast. This plan has been in place for well over 20 years to get crews onto the island for something like this,” Kokkila told reporters at a briefing, according to TribLive. He added that there was no immediate danger to the public as the power station was not nuclear.
“What is on fire is oil that’s inside the reactor, and we’re utilizing a pre-planned operation using ferry boats to move equipment and personnel across the river as soon as Duquesne Light can make it safe for them,” he continued. (RELATED: Video Shows Intense Moment Lightning Strikes Oil Tank Igniting Massive Blaze)
No injuries or power outages resulted from the explosion and subsequent fires, Duquesne Light announced. “Safety continues to be our top priority — for our customers, employees, the public and also the environment. We are continuing to investigate the cause and monitor any further impact,” the company said, according to CBS News Pittsburgh.
Officials with Duquesne Light are investigating the cause of the explosion and subsequent fire, which they say originated with the “failure of a ‘specialized transformer,'” TribLive reported.