Transformer fire brings down utility poles, damages cars in Coney Island
The damage stretched across West 36th Street between Surf and Mermaid avenues.
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Two utility poles came crashing down onto several cars in Coney Island Wednesday morning after a transformer and a car caught fire, according to the FDNY.
The damage stretched across West 36th Street between Surf and Mermaid avenues. At the scene, one utility pole could be seen lying across two cars and blocking the street. A second utility pole came down a short distance away, landing across two more cars. One of those vehicles was badly burned.
Citizen video from the height of the fire showed flames shooting from a transformer as the fire burned near a car below.
The FDNY said it received the call around 6:48 a.m. Firefighters arrived to find a transformer and a car on fire. The flames have since been put out, and fire crews have wrapped up their work at the scene.
Con Edison crews remained on West 36th Street Wednesday morning as hundreds of customers dealt with power outages.
The company’s outage map showed about 896 customers without electricity. Con Edison said it was still evaluating the situation and had not provided an estimated time for when power would be restored.
The downed poles also left some people unable to move their cars.
“I came down. I was on my balcony, and I see something was going on, and I’m like, ‘What’s going on?’” Coney Island resident Tanika Parker said. “Right now, our car is trapped in there. Two cars in between this pole and the first pole and the last pole, so we’re stuck. We can’t get out.”
No injuries have been reported at this time. The cause of the fire remains under investigation.
Con Edison crews are working at the scene as neighbors wait for the downed utility poles to be removed and power to be restored.
