Transformer fire caused power cuts

A109 Light Utility Helicopter flight with mayor Gisborne City from the air in November 2023.

Firefighters were called to the  Duke Street-Wainui Road corner on Monday night after a power transformer caught fire, affecting power supplies to several streets.

It happened at around 8.15pm.

“It was well alight when the first crew got there,” a senior firefighter said.

“The transformer was arcing and there were explosions.”

The area was cordoned off by firefighters and police while the problem was dealt with.

“We called in the power authority and they isolated the 11kV feeder into the transformer.

“Once that was done we were able to tackle the fire and cool down the transformer.”

The fire crews were there for about half-an-hour.

A Firstlight Network spokesman said yesterday the incident affected power supplies to Duke Street, Steele Road, Wainui Road and Worsley Street.

They aimed to have power restored to those areas by lunchtime yesterday.