On Sunday, the Oakland Airport in Northern California was temporarily closed after a Pacific Gas and Electric (PG&E) electrical substation caught fire at 1 pm, a blaze that also left 50,000 residents in Oakland and Alameda without power for hours.
According to the Daily Mail, an Oakland Fire Department battalion chief confirmed the fire was extinguished at 3 pm and said, “Approximately about one o’clock this afternoon we were called for a fire coming from inside the PG&E yard.
Upon our arrival down here our crews noticed a grayish-brown smoke coming from inside the PG&E yard.
We were able to gain access into the PG&E yard and found that there was a transformer actively burning.”
The fire at the substation located at 50th x Coliseum is now out, as of 230PM. Please check the PG&E outage map at https://t.co/Cd7qhZjkMo for current status updates and timelines for restoration. There is no Hazmat concern or evacuations necessary. No further updates. pic.twitter.com/SPm6kTTTUt
— Oakland Fire Department (CA) (@OaklandFireCA) February 19, 2023
The chief said that officials from PG&E were investigating the fire’s origin and that 50,000 residents were without power after the incident.
Tamar Sarkissian wrote on Twitter, “#Oakland: We are aware of the large outage in Oakland impacting approximately 50,000 customers. We are currently investigating the details and will provide more information on the timing of restoration as soon as we can.”
#Oakland: We are aware of the large outage in Oakland impacting approximately 50,000 customers. We are currently investigating the details and will provide more information on the timing of restoration as soon as we can.
— Tamar Sarkissian (@PGE_Tamar) February 19, 2023
Users responded to Sarkissian and said “we need answers” and asked why she was not posting updates with more frequency.
We need answers. Why did this happen? Why did this only happen in the area it did?
— doreen (@doreenstwitta) February 20, 2023
You couldn't at least post updates instead of leaving us in the dark without any clue as to what's going on.
— Swan Ronson (@Swan_Rons0n) February 20, 2023
In the airport, passengers were stuck and waiting at the gates, in security lines, and for an inoperative baggage claim. The Bay Area Rapid Transit, which provides travel to and from the airport, was also shut down.
One user on Twitter posted an image of the inoperative baggage claim.
Oakland Airport Power Outage pic.twitter.com/2SQgKVKV3C
— MarcM (@siempretrucha) February 19, 2023
Limited service returned to the airport at 3 pm.
On Twitter, users posted video of the outage.
Matt Ashlock posted and said TSA Agents had said “this has never happened before.”
Power outage apparently, all of Oakland Airport at a standstill. No one getting thru security for going on almost an hour now.
TSA Agents saying this has never happened before. Saying no flights are gonna leave while it’s like this.
No timetable for a fix. pic.twitter.com/d4Fq6Nt5DW
— matt ashlock (@matt_ashlock) February 19, 2023
One user simply said, “I picked the wrong day to fly #southwest from #oaklandairport.”
I picked the wrong day to fly #southwest from #oaklandairport
— Demetrius Tolefree (@dtolefree) February 19, 2023
“It’s still unclear if Sunday’s incident was a targeted attack however there have been multiple substation attacks in recent months across the entire US,” reports the Daily Mail.
There have been attacks on substations in Washington, North Carolina, Oregon, and six other states.
Not to worry! Newsome is on his way with a solar panel.
Our infrastructure is falling apart..and there are some helping its destruction along. Where is this Administration? In Ukraine, giving away billions for their country’s defense and infrastructure, the hell with the USA.
bidens f’d up America!!
Domestic terrorism is alive and well and I don’t see anyone doing anything about it. Too many coincidences with the fires, and explosions, train derailments.