Cleveland Transformer Explosion Causes Widespread Power Outages on Near West Side

CLEVELAND (VINnews)— A reported transformer explosion on Cleveland’s near west side Monday evening triggered a house fire, downed multiple power lines and left about 1,000 customers without electricity, officials said.

The incident occurred just before 7 p.m. in the area of the 4200 block of Fenwick Avenue, near Cleveland Public Power’s West 41st Street facility, according to the Cleveland Division of Fire.

Lt. Mike Norman, a fire department spokesperson, described the event as “some type of electrical event” that caused power lines to fall across roads. Fire crews responded to a house fire in the 4200 block of Fenwick Avenue, which was brought under control. A gas fire was also reported at one of the affected homes, prompting Enbridge to shut off gas service for the entire street.

Norman said firefighters went door to door to check for issues, and some electric meters were blown off houses. One firefighter at the scene told WKYC that the explosion caused fire to spread across multiple utility poles.

Cleveland Public Power confirmed approximately 1,000 customers were impacted, with outages stretching from Fenwick Avenue to West 114th Street, according to the utility’s outage map. West 41st Street was blocked at the Interstate 90 exit ramp near the power plant as crews worked to address the situation.

No injuries were reported.

Video footage circulating online captured dramatic flashes from the explosion, with bright lights illuminating the night sky and showing flames along utility poles, underscoring the chaotic scene.

Crews from Cleveland Public Power and the fire department remained on scene working to restore power and secure the area. The cause of the transformer explosion was under investigation.

Residents in the affected areas were advised to check the Cleveland Public Power outage map for updates. Power restoration was expected over the next several hours, though no specific timeline was immediately provided.