Bright light in big city mystifies New Yorkers after transformer fire
Social media ablaze with speculation about aliens and UFOs — though the source was a more pedestrian substation blast
A transformer explosion at an electric power substation in the New York City borough of Queens lit up the night sky with a bright blue light on Thursday, mystifying some residents, but officials said no-one was injured in the incident. “There was a boom and a bang and a flash of light,” said fire department spokesperson Jim Long. “It’s all under control but we’re still getting calls from residents wondering what happened,” he said early on Friday. The blue flashes that briefly lit up the night sky in the Astoria area of Queens shortly after 9pm were caused by a power surge and electrical “arcing” and sparked a transformer explosion and a small fire, said Con Edison spokesperson Bob McGee. There were no injuries, he said. Social media lit up with videos and photos of the bright light in the night sky, with the chatter continuing into Friday morning. “Why is the sky lit up bright blue in Queens New York City right now? Is it fireworks?” Louis Santoro, a New York City resident, wrote o...
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