Here is a link to a fire Houston Fire Dept. made on an apt. bldg. service. A gas line ruptured below the sevice. Look at the 3 page of pictures when the POCO pulls the disconnects with the hot stick. Quite a display. Robert http://www.hfdpics.com/cpg132/thumbnails.php?album=1

Hmmm... Not that I'm one to critique how to put out fires, but it seems they waited an awefull long time for the POCO, most of the pic's are of them sitting on thier butts waiting.... They look bored. I assume they were trying to contain the fire to that area until the utilities could get shut down? Then again I dont blame 'em for not cutting off the load side themselves. Theres a lot of smoking and flaming detritus right under that tranny.

looks like the transformers were either shorted or still had a heavy load on the secondary yet.never saw a flashover quite like that.wonder how bad it scared the utility worker?how big were the pots?

[This message has been edited by circuit man (edited 05-19-2006).]

One of the worst things that you can do it put out a natural gas fire. That is what was burning below the service. You must shut off the supply of gas to extinguish the natural gas fire and it appears that they had to wait for the gas company, not the power company.
Don