Transformer Fire Leaves Homes Without Power for Hours

The lights went out overnight for dozens of residents in our area.

A transformer blew out shortly after midnight along 50th Street near Hazel Avenue in West Philadelphia knocking out power to about 100 homes in the area, according to PECO.

Temps dropped into the single digits as utility crews battled cold and ice to get the power back. Two PECO bucket trucks were working to replace the transformer atop a utility pole.

Hours later the blackout remained. Just before 6 a.m., SkyForce10 captured the moment as some lights flickered back on.

PECO announced that power was officially restored a short time later.

While power was out, one family decided to take shelter at the nearby Samuel B Huey School while everyone else decided to stay put in their homes, according to Philadelphia Police.

No injuries were reported.

Police blocked off the radius around the blackout to give PECO crews room to work.

This outage paled in comparison to an outage in Pennsgrove, Salem County, N.J. that knocked out power to more than 3,700 Atlantic City Electric customers.

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