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Electrical Fire Causes Power Outage in Most of Fort Lauderdale - Reports

A fire at an electrical substation plunged on Tuesday night most of the city of Fort Lauderdale into darkness, a spokesman for the local power company, Florida Power & Light, Sebastian Manrique said, cited by Reuters.
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The spokesman added, cited by Reuters, more than 33,000 of the utility's customers were without power following the incident.

Local eyewitnesses have shared several videos of the alleged incident on Twitter, claiming that the explosion was heard before "all the lights went out" in almost the whole city.

 

A spokesperson for Fort Lauderdale Fire Rescue said, cited by the Broadcaster Local 10, the fire started around 8 p.m. (local time) at the facility in the 400 block of Northeast Sixth Avenue. The spokesperson said local firefighters had the blaze under control.

The cause of the electrical fire reportedly remains unknow. Local authorities have launched the investigation into the incident. According to local media, Florida Power and Light said emergency crews were working to restore power to about 33,000 customers.

A spokesman with the Fort Lauderdale-Hollywood International Airport told the Miami Herald that the airport was not affected by the blackout, and if it were, a redundant system would ensure the airport’s operation.

READ MORE: All Flights in US Atlanta Airport Canceled Over Power Outage

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