Large Fire Hits Redmond Power Substation

Fire and utility crews are on the scene of a large fire at a power substation in Redmond.

Heavy, black smoke can be seen from as far away as Seattle.

A spokeswoman for Puget Sound Energy said the fire was reported at 12:30 p.m. at the substation at 9221 Willows Road N.E.

No injuries have been reported.

PSE spokeswoman Martha Monfried said 15,000 gallons of mineral oil that fill the transformer were burning, but the utility doesn’t believe it’s hazardous. Two other transformers were shut down as a precaution.

Redmond firefighters were first to respond. They had to call in  a truck with foam from the Port of Seattle because water wasn’t putting out the flames.

About 25,000 PSE customers were affected at some point in Redmond, Kirkland and Woodinville, Monfried said. About 9,000 remained without power at about 2:30 p.m.

PSE has an environmental crew on the scene. Monfried said it's too soon to say what sparked the blaze.

Clark Masterson, who works near the substation, said he went to a Subway sandwich shop for lunch at 12:20 p.m. and then saw flames 30 to 40 feet high.

“We could see them over the trees,” he said.

Some Microsoft workers said that there is an office building on Willows Road, and power is out there so the building has been closed.

According to KING 5, Redmond Police are asking people to avoid Willows Road in Redmond, and traffic is also backed up on Woodinville Redmond Road in the area due to the fire.