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The city of Los Angeles (CA) Fire Department (LAFD) was notified at 6:53 PM on July 8, 2017 of an explosion heard in the 18900 block of Parthenia Street in Northridge, where firefighters arrived quickly to find heavy flames and a towering column of thick, dark smoke from within the Los Angeles Department of Water and Power (LADWP) energy transmission site known as Receiving Station J.
A vat containing as much as 60,000 gallons of mineral oil, reportedly used as a cooling agent for high-voltage equipment, was heavily involved with fire and believed to be fully energized. LAFD Assistant Chief Patrick Butler conferred with LADWP experts to electrically isolate the fire and assure the safety of nearby residents, utility workers, and firefighters–as well as preclude greater harm to citywide utility service.
From FirefighterNation: Seattle Vault Fires Review
Assistant Chief Butler led 74 firefighters to battle the flames directly with large volumes of water and firefighting foam. The inferno was fully extinguished in just two hours, and there were no injuries.
The resultant power outage at a time of intense summer heat affected the communities of Northridge, Winnetka, Reseda, Lake Balboa, Tarzana, North Hills, Granada Hills, Chatsworth, West Hills, Canoga Park and Woodland Hills according to LADWP officials, leading to scores of LAFD service calls including many elevator rescues. Fire damage to the facility, and any effect it may have upon utility service will be determined by LADWP. The cause of the blaze is considered accidental, and attributed to a mechanical malfunction per utility officials
