An explosion at the ConEd Electrical Plant in Queens, New York City, has cast a bright blue light across the sky. The Con Edison plant is located in the Astoria neighborhood of Queens, New York.
Con Edison said the blue light in the sky was caused by a couple of transformers being tripped offline at the substation at 20th Avenue and 32nd Street, which then sparked a fire.
At this time, no injuries or fatalities have been reported. Additionally, the cause of the explosion is not known at this time.
According to CNN, FAA spokesman Greg Martin said that all FAA facilities at La Guardia are on generator power and there was no interruption to air traffic control. Additionally, the FAA said that all terminals were impacted by the loss of commercial power, which caused the issue of a ground stop until at least 10:30 p.m. EST.
The official statement from Con Edison, via Twitter:
“We’re working with the @FDNY to respond a substation fire in Astoria and will provide updates as soon as we have more information.”
People in Queens reported the electricity briefly flickering off in their homes, and LaGuardia Airport saw a total blackout at one point. A News 4 staffer picking up his daughter in Terminal A said the lights started to flicker, then turned off completely while the emergency lighting stayed on.
Inbound flights were briefly held at their origin during the power outage at LaGuardia.
Following the explosion, the New York City Police Department asked civilians to avoid the area of 20th Avenue and 31st Street in Astoria while authorities investigate the explosion.
That is all the information available at this time.
Photos & Videos Of The Con Edison Plant Explosion
That is all the information available at this time. This article will be updated should new details and information become available.