Sunday, January 4, 2015

BLAZE ERUPTED AT A CON EDISON SUBSTATION IN HAWTHORN, NY FOR SEVERAL HOURS SUNDAY MORNING. CON ED SUBSTATION BLAZE IN HAWTHORNE EXTINGUISHED BY DOZENS OF FIREFIGHTERS.



blaze erupted at a Con Edison substation in hawthorn, ny for several hours Sunday morning.  Con Ed substation blaze in Hawthorne extinguished by dozens of firefighters.



(Photo: Frank Becerra Jr./The Journal News)
HAWTHORNE – Commuters can again board Harlem Line trains after dozens of firefighters battled a blaze that erupted at a nearby Con Edison substation for several hours Sunday morning.
The cause of the fire that damaged the substation remains under investigation.
Firefighters began cleaning up the area before noon, after pounding the flames with special foam, officials said. The unstaffed substation caught on fire just after 9:30 a.m.
The fire closed the Hawthorne Metro-North train station and a portion of the Harlem Line. The substation at 507 Commerce St. is about 15 feet from the tracks.
Metro-North announced at 12:07 p.m. that the "Harlem Line train service has resumed between Mount Kisco and North White Plains. Customers should anticipate some scattered delays while emergency crews clean up the Con Edison substation fire."


Heavy smoke seen from a Con Edison substation in Hawthorne Sunday Jan. 4.(Photo: Frank Becerra Jr./The Journal News)
The fire drew dozens of firefighters from several departments, the Westchester County Hazmat Team and other emergency responders. They descended on the substation just after 9:30 a.m., Mount Pleasant Sgt. Michael McGuinn said.
"We got a number of 911 calls about smoke emanating from the Con Ed substation," McGuinn said. "We dispatched the fire department. Thankfully this happened on a Sunday, and not a Monday rush-hour."
No injuries have been reported and no customers lost power, Con-Ed spokesman Allan Drury said.
About 50 firefighters from Thornwood, Hawthorne, Valhalla and Yonkers were at the scene. Yonkers firefighters brought foam to put out the flames.
McGuinn said the police set up a perimeter, as firefighters took over. The substation is located on the border of Hawthorne and Thornwood.