Blown Transformers Causes Power Outage in St. Cloud Metro

ST. CLOUD (WJON News) -- A transformer blew causing an electrical pole to start on fire on Monday night.

The explosion and fire resulted in a power outage for a number of residents in the St. Cloud metro area.

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Fire Department spokesman Steve Wunderlich says there was also a gasoline leak from a backup generator that the department responded to as well.

The incident began at 5:30 p.m. and Xcel Energy says as of 6:30 p.m. nearly 3,300 of its customers were without power. The outage was impacting residents in St. Cloud, Sauk Rapids, and Waite Park.

A St. Cloud Fire truck blocked one lane of westbound traffic on East St. Germain Street near Veterans Bridge, as crews monitored the smoldering electrical pole.

The Xcel Energy website says they were hoping to restore power to its customers by 6:45 p.m.

At 7:00 p.m. there were still nearly 800 customers without power, which the company was hoping to restore by 8:15 p.m.