ABC 7's J.R. Stone was in South San Francisco talking to firefighters when a transformer that was on fire exploded a couple hundred feet away. Less than a minute later it exploded a second time, firefighters then closed additional streets in the area. No one was hurt but power immediately went out to the entire neighborhood near Hillside Blvd. and Linden Ave.
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PG&E representative Karly Hernandez sent us a statement saying: "I am unable to provide the number of outages that have been transformer related. However, I can confirm that after a long time without rain, dust, dirt, salt, and other substances accumulate on equipment. When the first mist or rain arrives after a long dry spell, it turns this mixture into mud, which conducts electricity. This can damage electrical equipment and potentially result in a loud hot flash."
Neighbors compared the explosions to fireworks, one man said it sounded like a bomb went off. Some neighbors say they're frustrated that these lines haven't been put underground, a thought echoed on social media Sunday night. Others questioned why more maintenance isn't being done to avoid this.
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Customers in Santa Rosa and Contra Costa County described the same issues in their neighborhood.
MAP: Here are current outages in Bay Area
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