Small fire at dam extinguished
A transformer at Hoover Dam caught fire this morning and was quickly extinguished, according to an official with the Bureau of Reclamation.
Regional Director Jacklynn Gould, regional director of the bureau’s Lower Colorado Region, said the A5 transformer caught fire at about 10 a.m. and “was extinguished by the Reclamation/Hoover fire brigade at approximately 10:30 a.m.”
She said there were no injuries to visitors or employees.
“There is no risk to the power grid and power is still being generated from the powerhouse. We are investigating the cause of the fire and will provide additional updates as they are available.”
As investigations into the cause of the fire continue, the bureau has discontinued tours today, said Doug Hendrix, a public information officer based at the bureau’s Boulder City office.
Earlier, a Twitter user identified as Kristy Hairston wrote: “Touring the #hooverdam and heard an explosion #fire.”
Boulder City Fire Department responded to the report of an emergency, but the the fire was extinguished by the time firefighters arrived on scene, according to a city official.
This is a developing story. Please check back for details.
Hali Bernstein Saylor is editor of the Boulder City Review. She can be reached at hsaylor@bouldercityreview.com or at 702-586-9523. Follow @HalisComment on Twitter.
