Firemen respond to blown transformer
Last updated 4/26/2021 at 7:59am
RITZVILLE - Chief Scott Kembel and half a dozen volunteer firefighters responded to a call at 203 West Cherry Avenue when a transformer on a power pole blew Saturday afternoon, April 24.
Neighbor Bruce Johnson, of 204 West Cherry Avenue said he didn't see it happen, but he heard it.
"It scared the heck out of me," said Johnson, adding his neighbor from 203 West Cherry Avenue came to the door and said she smelled smoke, asking him to call her daughter.
"I called 911," Johnson said.
Johnson said he was told by the firemen, "Every time we have a dry spell and then rain, transformers blow up."
"It happens a lot this time of year," fireman Bob Dew said. "When we have a dust storm, the dust settles on top of the wooden cross bar. The rain creates a static electricity on the wires on the cross bar, and smolders until it starts burning."
Dew said when a transformer blows, the old wooden cross bars are switched out with steel ones.
"But we still have a lot of wood ones left," Dew said.
Chief Kemble said the firemen would stand by until Arista arrived.
"We just make sure nothing else catches on fire, or no one drives under the downed lines. Basically we just babysit it until Avista gets here," Kemble said.
An Avista lineman was headed to the scene around 2:20 p.m. from Othello, about an hour out.
"This never happens in nice weather," Dew said as the firemen waited in the rain.
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