A column of black smoke billows from a fire that destroyed a hydro station on Shefford Road that served the entire Beacon Hill North community. Photo provided by Tim Tierney
Hydro Ottawa officials are asking residents in Beacon Hill North to conserve their electricity after a fire destroyed several transformers in a Hydro Ottawa substation on Shefford Road near Canotek Park on Friday.
The fire broke out around 5:30 p.m., creating a towering column of thick, black smoke.
A Hydro Ottawa crew was working in the transformer enclosure at the time when a malfunction or accident occurred, according to acting Ottawa Fire District Chief Martin Michels.
“One transformer caught fire and then spread to the others,” Michels told the Ottawa Citizen.
It took 12 fire trucks and 50 firefighters less than an hour to put out blaze.
“All we could do was stand back and throw water at it,” said Michels. “But once we got the water on it, it went pretty well.”
Beacon Hill North Community Association president Tim Tierney had a perfect view of the fire from across the street. He’s very appreciative of the fact that firefighters were able to get the blaze under control so quickly.
“The Ottawa firefighters, police and other emergency response crews should be commended for containing the fire so quickly. The transformer station is meters away from 200 plus condominium town homes, and the result would have been catastrophic if the fire had spread,” said Tierney.Click here to read the complete story on Orleans Online >>>