SMUD: Many Still Without Power After Substation Catches Fire In Downtown Sacramento

SACRAMENTO (CBS13) — SMUD said around hundreds of customers likely won't see power restored until Wednesday after a power substation in Downtown Sacramento caught fire late Tuesday morning, sending up a large column of smoke that could be seen for miles.

The scene was at the substation near H and 7th streets, next to the historic Old Folsom Powerhouse.

Sacramento Fire crews first extinguished a small interior fire, but took a little longer to put out the flames in the yard of the substation.

No injuries have been reported, Sacramento Fire says.

Power was out for several businesses in a six-block radius around the area and traffic signals were out.

SMUD says the substation suffered significant damage in the fire. Exactly what started the fire is being investigated.

Around 1,300 customers were expected to remain without power come Wednesday, but SMUD said Tuesday night that 600-700 customers would begin seeing their power restored during the overnight hours.

With the power being out, the sheriff's department said the nearby Sacramento County Jail was placed on lockdown for staff and inmate safety.

Several streets in the area - 5th and H heading east on H, and 6th and I heading north on 6th - were closed to traffic. Light rail service has also been impacted, prompting a bus bridge for the Gold Line between the Sacramento Valley Station and 13th Street Station, as well for the Blue Line north between 13th Street and Arden/Del Paso stations.

However, shortly after 4 p.m., Sacramento Regional Transit said power had been restored and trains were back moving through the downtown area while bus bridges had ended.