Work Continues in Westwood at Scene of Underground Fire

PSE&G crews are still working in Westwood today after an underground fire along Broadway caused evacuations over the weekend. The power company expects work to be completed by Tuesday morning.

Originally, police reported the Saturday incident as a transformer fire, but now say it was an underground fire caused by a problem with electrical wiring. PSE&G crews are installing new equipment and performing inspections on conductors, according to Utility Communications Consultant Deann Muzikar.

Police received a 911 call Saturday at 4:19 p.m. about a manhole fire on Broadway, according to reports. Police officers and the were dispatched to the scene at the intersection of Broadway and Westwood Avenue. Police also contacted PSE&G and Hillsdale's fire department and ambulance.

"The failure was caused by salt and water seeping into the manholes and settling on the conductors," Muzikar said.

According to police, patrol officers secured the area, where smoke and fire could be seen, and evacuated businesses and apartments along Broadway. Police said NJ Transit was contacted at 6:02 p.m. Saturday to divert buses from the area. Westwood Board of Health and Office of Emergency Management officials were also contacted to assist any displaced individuals.

The fire was extinguished Sunday, but power remained out for much of the day. Muzikar said power is restored to the entire area.

According to police, the main line electrical unit underground just south of Broadway and Jefferson Avenue caught fire, which caused a chain reaction. A second line caught fire from Broadway and Jefferson Avenue to Broadway and Irvington Street.

No one was injured in the incident, police said.