Snake causes explosion at Ky. power substation
BEREA, Ky. — A power company says an explosion and fire at a substation in central Kentucky was caused by a snake crawling into equipment.
"The snake did get into the equipment," Nick Comer with East Kentucky Power/Blue Grass Energy, told CBS affiliate WKYT-TV. "It did apparently cause a short circuit and caused the fire."Bluegrass Energy officials told WLEX-TV in Lexington that the incident early Wednesday left 3,200 people in Madison County without power. They said they are rerouting power around the substation in Berea, but it could take until the afternoon until all customers are restored.
The explosion was reported about 1 a.m. The Richmond Register reports flames could be seen for miles.
Resident Eddie Tevis told WLEX that he couldn't look at the substation after the explosion because "it would just burn your eyes it was so bright."
The station reports firefighters used dry chemicals on the blaze because of its electrical nature and due to oil in the transformers.