A Lexington transformer exploded Monday afternoon, sparking a three-alarm fire and sending those in the area running for cover, according to Lexington Fire Department.
“I saw this big poof of smoke and then boom, big orange fireball,” said witness Alexandra Schweitzer.
The explosion happened just before 6:00 p.m. at an Eversource substation on Massachusetts Avenue.
“Power turned off in the building for a brief second, followed by a few loud explosions. I immediately went in the kitchen and turned off the gas,” said Sorabh Kapoor, owner of Clay Oven Restaurant. Firefighters rushed to the scene working to keep the flames from spreading to nearby buildings, fighting the blaze in over 90-degree heat.
“The volume of fire you dealt with is maybe one or two alarms worth of fire, but we brought in three,” said Lexington Fire Department Chief Derek Sencabaugh.