(Updated at 9:35 a.m.) A swath of the Courthouse and Clarendon area is in the dark after reports of a possible transformer explosion.
The lights went out around 6:30 a.m. As of 7:30 a.m., 1,732 Dominion customers are still without power, according to the company’s website, though that number was down to around 1,100 as of 9 a.m.
“Arlington County is aware of a power outage in the Courthouse area,” the county earlier this morning in an Arlington Alert. “Use caution as street lights are out. Treat all intersections as a 4-way stop.”
Arlington firefighters were dispatched to the Avalon Courthouse Place apartment building at 1320 N. Veitch Street around 6:30 a.m. for a report of an underground transformer explosion and fire.
ACFD says the fire is out but there was “significant smoke in the parking garage requiring ventilation” and it expects the overhaul to be “an extended operation.” Some roads are closed in the area as a result of ongoing fire department activity.
#ALERT: Crews are operating at the scene of an underground transformer fire in the 1300 BLK of N. Veitch St. Fire was out upon arrival, however there is significant smoke in the parking garage requiring ventilation. Power is out in the area and this will be an extended operation pic.twitter.com/DYxVc521T7
— Arlington Fire & EMS (@ArlingtonVaFD) December 14, 2022
On social media, below, one user posted a photo of a thick haze in the parking garage.
@ARLnowDOTcom @STATter911 14th St entirely blocked off now with emergency vehicles. Overheard that it may take a couple days to restore power. pic.twitter.com/o3e6y2Jrok
— CrystalLite (@CrystalLite14) December 14, 2022