UPDATE: Fire, Explosions In Telephone Pole Lead To Power Outages

Update 6:35 p.m.

Many Springfield residents are still without power due to a transformer fire that began shortly before 5:30 p.m. in a telephone pole at 73 Mountain Ave. in Springfield. 

Crews from Jersey Central Power & Light are currently at the scene. Springfield police said power is expected to be restored by 7 p.m. Several traffic lights are out in the area as a result of the fire and police are directing traffic. Mountain Avenue between Hanna and Wabeno Avenues is closed and traffic is being diverted.

Residents of the General Greene Village Apartments said that the fire, which began at the top of a telephone pole, directly across from the Springfield Public Library, started “out of the blue.”

Joyce Pryor was in her apartment watching television, with her air-conditioner running, when she lost power. Pryor said she saw smoke and sparks coming from the pole just before hearing “two loud explosions.”

Beth Newman, who lives in the neighborhood, said initially police were asking residents if they could help locate the owners of the two cars which were parked under the pole but, after the explosions, told onlookers to “get back inside.” 

“It was so weird,” Pryor said. “Sparks and things still on fire were falling on the grass.”

Patch will continue to update the story as more information becomes available.