Underground Explosion in Ariz. Hurts One, Cuts Power

June 15, 2013
One person was injured and 30 people were evacuated after an underground electrical vault blew, knocking out power to Downtown Tucson Friday night.

June 15--An explosion Friday evening in an underground electrical vault blew a metal grate about four feet on Congress Street just west of Stone Avenue, a Tucson Fire Department spokesman said.

One person was evaluated for injuries but required no further treatment, spokesman Capt. Chris

Jurvig said in a news release. About 30 people were evacuated from the area.

Firefighters received reports of an explosion at 6:37 p.m. and arrived three minutes later, he said.

Jurvig said they found smoke coming out of the underground electrical vault but no active fire. The cause of the explosion wasn't known.

A power outage affected about five nearby customers, Tucson Electric Power spokesman Joe Barrios said.

Police closed Congress Street from Sixth Avenue to Church Avenue and Stone Avenue at Pennington Street.

Twenty-seven firefighters from nine units were dispatched, Jurvig said.

Copyright 2013 - The Arizona Daily Star, Tucson

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