A transformer fire tore through a Hackensack, New Jersey, street early Wednesday, bringing down power lines and setting multiple parked cars ablaze. The dramatic scene played out along Prospect Avenue, near Berry Street, where flames were seen glowing in the dark as they consumed one vehicle after another.
According to fire officials at the scene, the blaze started with a transformer fire that brought down power lines, and the flames then spread to several cars parked along the street. Video from the scene showed red and orange flames engulfing the vehicles as thick gray and black smoke poured into the air.
The damage to the cars was severe. Crews described hoods scorched and the rubber around the tires melted on the burned-out vehicles. The transformers themselves remained in the middle of the street, and officials said a telephone pole at the scene would eventually have to be removed.
The fire came after an hours-long storm swept through the area overnight. Neighbors were left stunned by what they saw, with one resident saying the incident sounded like an explosion on their doorstep. Some in the area lost power, though it appeared to be coming back on for at least some homes.
Firefighters worked to bring the situation under control, going car to car and dousing each vehicle with water to make sure there were no remaining hot spots. Crews said they had to keep back and keep the public away from the downed voltage lines, a particular concern given the high-rise buildings in the area.
Crews from the utility PSE&G were also on the scene working on the power lines, with trucks extended up to reach them. Officials said they had to be cautious until they were certain the electricity in the area was no longer live.
The cause of the fire remained under investigation, and Prospect Avenue was closed as emergency crews secured the area. Officials acknowledged that some drivers might not yet know the condition of their vehicles, only to discover the damage when they returned to the street later in the morning.