A transformer blowout in the alley between North Broadway and Barber Street Sunday caused a brief power loss in the area of Hazuga’s True Value, as “I was loading a dishwash- er and then 'boom!'" said Hazuga's True Value employ –

ee Jay Howell of the explo sive event, adding that he was standing just 30 feet away at the time. “It was daytime and I could still see the light." The transformer blow- out which happened towards noon in the alley between Broadway and Barber Streets in Stanley led in turn to a brief closing off of Broadway Street in front of Hazuga’s True Value and the Stanley Theater, with sergeant Adam Kuechenmeister of the Stan – ley Police Department along with a ladder truck from Stan –

ley Fire on the scene.

The affected transform – er, meanwhile, was located behind the old Stanley armory building (now used by Hazuga's for storage) and effectively replaced, with scorch marks visible on two other transformers on the same power pole, along with electrical wires connected by crimps below the transformer.

In the meantime, an Excel Energy truck was seen in the alleyway after police and fire had left the scene, backing up in the alleyway to take a look at the final repair, before de – parting the scene itself past 2 p.m.

Electrical transformers are used to decrease voltage as needed for entry into homes, and can explode when faced with a sudden power surge. Voltage, meanwhile, is the electrical component that drives current through a cir –

cuit, with lightning strikes be – ing one of the most common causes for a transformer over –

load and explosion. The sky on Sunday, mean – while, was clear and blue, with no homes or businesses suffering damage as a result of the blowout.

Just a transformer blow- out," Stanley Fire Chief Korey Hagenson explained as he got into his personal truck down at the First Avenue fire station. “That’s all it was.”

where a transformer blowup led to a brief power loss. Photo by Joseph Back.