Giant transformer explodes in New York City - GIFs and photo

[Jon]

Giant transformer explosion yesterday in NYC. Con Ed Power Plant in Astoria, Queens. Described by Con Ed as "a brief electrical fire". The New York Police Department tweeted: "No injuries, no fire, no evidence of extraterrestrial activity".

You can see how it turned the city night sky blue:




Closer:







Previously:

Wind turbine explodes and topples - GIF
Sand mold casting explosion - GIF
Oxy-acetylene gas bottle crash explosion - video
1941 explosion of HMS Barham battleship - GIF and photo
Dump truck hydraulic explosion
NHRA Funny Car engine explosion
Steel mill wet charge explosion - video
Tanker truck explosion in Bologna, Italy - video
Grain bin collapses and explodes - video
Combustible wood dust explosion safety video
Lead sheet casting
Casting a giant propellor GIF

[bruce.desertrat]

The jokes on the tweerter machine were flying fast and furious. My fave: " Enjoying the view of the rare Astoria Borealis"

[Frank S]

Since there were no injuries or deaths I'll say it couldn't happen to a nicer place. NYFD and PD don't need to have to deal with casualties

[bruce.desertrat]

Way back when I was a young kid, a couple of somewhat older kids hopped the fence into the local transformer substation (because forbidden places are always the sweetest right?) Well, one kid was luckier than the other .. he lived. Minus about half of his arms, but he lived. Local teevee played that story on very heavy rotation, and one of my classmates (this was about 4th grade) was the younger brother of the one who lived...

We all got the message.

[Frank S]

There is a sub station not too far from me that apparently is in the flight path of the Geese as they come in for a landing to spend the night at pond. A couple of years ago EIP had to clean out several unfortunate critters that failed to read the warning signs on the fence. I'm sure that if one of the activist organisations heard about it they would be demanding that the sub station be relocated.

[Jon]

Another transformer explosion.

[Frank S]

Another transformer explosion.

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And here we have yet another camera capturing the explosion while being hand held. I still have problems understanding how there always seems to be cameras aiming at just the correct spot to capture these things. Was the original subject matter in the view area the guy with his back turned to the camera or was there another topic of interest which caused the user to aim his camera in that direction for a couple seconds before the explosion. Then there is the one from the window also a hand held device. I wonder if somewhere there are cameras viewing me on my place

[bruce.desertrat]

In the first video the man in the foreground is looking at the transformer. Blowing it up to full screen size shows what appears to be a large arc or flames coming out of one side of the transformer assembly. It's very low-res and only visible for a couple of frames, but there was something going on to bring attention to it.

[McDesign]

What kind of place needs window security bars that high up?

[Frank S]

What kind of place needs window security bars that high up?

Those bars would most likely be there to prevent someone from trying to jump out of them or a child falling from a window but it is difficult to tell is the spacing is narrow enough to prevent a child's head from passing through.