Crews extinguish large fire on Brunot Island after reactor 'catastrophically failed'
PITTSBURGH (KDKA) — Crews were called to Brunot Island for a large fire on Monday.
Pittsburgh Public Safety said Duquesne Light reported the fire started after a reactor "catastrophically failed." Firefighters ferried over to Brunot Island to fight the flames.
Officials said crews were called to the island on the Ohio River around 8 p.m. There were no reported injuries and no threat to the public.
"There were really giant flames, thick smoke," eyewitness Harrison Repko of Shaler said. "The flash was really quick. It was like lightning, but it was too bright to be lightning."
"The fire and any related hazards are contained to Brunot Island," Pittsburgh Public Safety said on social media.
Pittsburgh Bureau of Fire's assistant chief told KDKA there was a reactor failure and oil inside the reactor was on fire.
"We arrived with our crews and had a large fire and some small detonations happening on the island as a result of a reactor failure," Assistant Chief Brian Kokkila said. "This is a catastrophic failure of a reactor, which is part of the power grid."
"I was sitting in the house with my kids, and the TV, you could tell the power went out because it shut down and turned back on, and then you heard a buzz like a transformer explode. A minute later, I thought it was thunder, [I] hear sirens, it's not [thunder,] it's the explosion from here," Nichole Haefele of Brighton Heights said.
The company released a statement around 11 p.m. on Monday, saying:
"Shortly after 8 p.m. this evening, July 24, an issue with a specialized transformer on Brunot Island resulted in a fire that is still burning. DLC and fire crews are on the scene, and no injuries or power outages have resulted from the incident. Safety continues to be our top priority — for our customers, employees, the public and also the environment. We are continuing to investigate the cause and monitor any further impact."
Duquesne Light Company issued this statement on Tuesday morning, saying they are investigating the cause.
"Fire crews successfully put out the fire on Brunot Island overnight. Our crews remain on the scene to assess the full damage, which was contained to the area around the transformer, and have begun the cleanup process. The incident has not resulted in any injuries, threats to the public or disruption to electric service. We will continue investigating the cause and working with the appropriate agencies to ensure the continued safety of our employees, customers and the environment. We thank everyone involved for their hard and diligent work in getting this matter resolved safely."
