Hillburn power substation engulfed in flames Friday evening

Posted on 25 June 2016 by Editor

Friday evening, June 24, fire that broke out at an Orange & Rockland power substation in Hillburn, NY.

Friday evening, June 24, fire that broke out at an Orange & Rockland power substation in Hillburn, NY.

Many people along the Route 17 corridor in Western Ramapo saw a smoky sunset Friday evening, a plume of black and gray rising out of Torne Valley in Hillburn, NY, and stretching across the hilly horizon.

It turns out the smoke came from a fire at an Orange and Rockland substation in Torne Valley near the Ramapo River and Suez and Village of Suffern water wells.

Hikers atop Torne Mountain could still see the burnt out substation smoking below during the day Saturday. Bits of black sooty ash dotted the top and sides of Torne from Friday’s blaze.

According to Rockland County Fire Coordinator Gorden Wren, the O&R substation is fueled by some 60,000 gallons of oil and puts out 500,000 volts.

A shot of the substation blaze and its intensity as local firefighters tended to the Torne Valley incident Friday evening, June 24.

A close up shot of the substation blaze and its intensity as local firefighters tended to the Torne Valley incident Friday evening, June 24.

The Sloatsburg Volunteeer Fire Department and Hillburn Fire Department responded to the alarm, as well as a number of other agencies, including a Rockland County Haz Mat unit.

The fire broke out around 7:30 p.m. and the cause is still under investigation. The fire was confined to the facility and allowed to burn down, with power to the substation cut while operations were underway.

 

 

 

 

 

 

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