Power line catches fire in South Bend

SOUTH BEND, In. -- Investigators took pictures of the power line near the 1200 block of Colfax Avenue that turned blistery red, caught on fire, and caused a short in a secondary electric line going to a nearby house.


Batallion Chief Nick Tekler said, "We think some of the lines inside might have also caused a small fire in the lines in the walls and floor, so we are taking our thermal imagers and double checking everything.”


Neighbors reported several loud popping noises and saw smoke coming from the house closest to the power line.


James McCafferey said “There was arcing up in the tree. The lines you can see right there were red hot and I believe it caused a short circuit in the air conditioner in the house and there was smoke. Obviously the police cut off Colfax both ways.”


McCafferey lives across the street and said he'd never seen anything like it before.


"The line was glowing red hot and there was smoke glowing off the powerline. If they had not gotten here quicker, maybe there would have been a bigger fire, but as of right now it looks like we are going to be alright," said McCafferey.


The woman who was in the home at the time got out of the home without injury.

Share this article: