A transformer caught fire at the base of Hoover Dam on Tuesday, but the incident did not disrupt power being generated at the facility and no one was injured.
The fire and apparent explosion at the base of the 726-foot-high hydroelectric power generating facility was caught on video by tourists who shared footage on the blaze on social media. The fire was extinguished approximately 30 minutes after the blast and posed no risk to the power grid, according to officials.
“At approximately 10 a.m. (PDT) the A5 transformer at Hoover Dam caught fire and was extinguished by the Reclamation/Hoover fire brigade at approximately 10:30 a.m.,” Jacklynn Gould, regional director for the Bureau of Reclamation, said in a statement.
“There are no injuries to visitors or employees. There is no risk to the power grid and power is still being generated from the powerhouse. We are investigating the cause of the fire and will provide additional updates as they are available,” Gould’s statement concluded.
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Video footage of the incident show a fire and black billowing smoke rising from one of the dam’s transformers near where the Colorado River flows into the dam.
Tourists visiting the facility located on the Arizona and Colorado border said they heard an alarm sound and felt the ground rumble beneath them, according to the Associated Press.
“A ton of black smoke just exploded in the air. It looked almost like a mushroom and then a fire followed,” William Herro, 13, of San Francisco, told the Associated Press.
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Hoover Dam began operating in 1935. The facility is recognized as a National Historic Landmark, and it provides power to 8 million people in Arizona, Nevada, and Southern California. The massive dam is operated and maintained by the Bureau of Reclamation.
