Underground transformer fire

[TheAluminiumklorid]

Looks like someone have trouble while installing Free-BSD, you know... the little red devil

[newgirl091]

3:45 :o

[FailedCow]

I was just cooking, no worries.

[macrent2]

Its the fires of Hell coming to get you!

[someguy19x]

why is the fire purple? is that metal burning or something?

[gazzat5]

@someguy19x probably partly due to the light being given off in the infra-red spectrum which cameras pick up (try pointing a remote at a camera and pressing buttons)

[xxNikkiLyric]

Mental note--never park by one of those.

[Mofoe2001]

This isnt an underground transformer fire, someone open the gates to hell

[koolbossjock]

Scares the crap out of me just listening to this

[smc141]

The car next to it had no damage at all. Surprisingly.

[smc141]

The flame is blue because that is a arc of a cable fault.

[9b8]

Hey Bert, I go up there and light your cigarette on that, see how hot it is. I bet it won't light it! Go try!

[IVIeGaTRoNz]

someone tried to divide by zero.

[CornMakesWhiskey]

what exactly is burning...? the metal in the transformer? And why is the flame blue?

I would really like to understand what is going on here

[196Stefan2]

@CornMakesWhiskey

Probably the transformer oil (consists partially of PCB's) started to burn?

with kind regards

[GrizBearman]

Someone just destroyed a horcrux.

[Tagger24]

so how do you put something like this out?

[GrizBearman]

@Tagger24 Time.

[dguyton16]

@Tagger24 Good question. I was thinking the same thing.

[pearlzenith]

@Tagger24 First you have to de-energigize it, otherwise you can't do a thing but watch.

[rysliv]

that one of those green metal box transformers?

[FreedomAirsoftGroup]

Somebody splazer'd a ghost.

[X02AC3]

wraith is toast!

[GoRideaMTN]

Don't spray water on that!

[USRecovery2kX]

Dr. Manhattan blew some ass! This is what happened.

[NathanH5]

Most of those explosions are caused by burning insulation forming explosive gasses. Most probably arcing faults with medium/low voltage cables. The infrastructure in many cities is so old that there aren't any newer, more sensitive interrupters on those lines. We had a similar experience here in DC, the arcing and sometimes violent explosions went on for 45 minutes before the city was able to cut power to the whole block. Yes, I bet that car parked there was damaged!!

[MADdrummer971]

holy shit how maney transformers wher down ther?

[therealcarguy]

Someone needs to have a chat with the man on the hoseline about water hammer. Thats a red dot move.

[kc5vgw]

Wonder if they still got a parking ticket??

[brushtraction]

that flames purple

[matrix6977]

The fireman got an error message when he tried to go at it with the hose... that shit was funny...

[Chimb111222]

@Doug3445 Water, my good sir is not that great of a conductor. Salt water, on the other hand, is, purely because of the sodium dissolved in the water.

[whatisbestinlife]

Hephaestus making a bag of microwave popcorn

[MrTpengineer]

Jeeze I wonder how big that beast is? I've never seen so moch smoke and fire lol!

[KaineTECH]

Was the fire really purple or was it the camera's CCD catching infrared light from the fire?

[kingmanted]

SHIT! my door is welded shut =(

[mikenstarr09]

Sounds like an angry trapped animal trying to get out to me.

[GeneralPurposeVehicl]

ARC, ARC, BOOOOOOM.

[supermohamed76]

sounds like makin' popcorn

[ccraig412]

Fireman walks over with a hose..

Transformer: fuck OFF! >:-(

Dude: OHHkay then... -backs up-

[hamsteradorable]

who you gonna call ....Ghostbuster

[ErickGoku7]

03:45 O_O jajajajajajajajajaajajajajajaj­ajajajjajajajajajjjajaajaj

[seanroehrs]

look to the right when the big explosion happens. the fire fighter shit his pants. thats hard to do. then he shit a white brick.

[buckeyerob75]

Um... why aren't they doing anything about it?

[kc5cxu]

that popping you hear is the brakers resetting them selfs.

[joeylawn36111]

@kc5cxu No, that's arcing to ground.

[kc5cxu]

@joeylawn36111 Hi no the main person that did this video told me thats the brakers tripping on the transformer.

[kc5cxu]

thay need to turn off the grid.

[shexdensmore]

So is that the real colors? and what would it be burning?

[mlcoo17]

@shexdensmore The color is party from the camera but mostly from all the vaporized copper wiring and also the plastic insulation on all the wire. Everything down in that tunnel is really hot, much hotter than in a normal fire.

[777Bauhaus]

poor evolution IX :(

[ToyoCoyote13]

Ugh another fire I got -BZZZT- OH SHI-

[chris03653837]

MR FIREMAN>>> KILL THE POWER!!!!!

NO WATER!!!

[thejchschipmunk1995]

wow



[thejchschipmunk1995]

imagine explaining this to your insurance agent



[Avarummage]

plasma fire 

[skunk96]

@Avarummage I don't know too much about plasma fire, do you get burned and electrocuted at the same time or its just a fancy word for electric fire???????

[mlcoo17]

@skunk96 Plasma is the electrical arc itself, like the arc on an arc welder or the shaft of a bolt of lighning. Plasma is REALLY hot, like around 10,000 to 15,000 degrees, so everything around it tends to catch on fire. What we normally call " fire " is much much cooler. I love how the fireman is approaching with the hose ( which is a no no, electricity and water, duh ) then he hears that surge of electric current in the tunnel and he's like " I'M not going near that, YOU can if you want " .

[saveus444]

A similar thing happened in dc next to the winstar hotel. Wow it even sounds the same. They have a video of it on youtube.

[TheZekethunder]

That car is sizzled!!

[123Jus1]

Do you guys know why the fire was purple?

[burjoks]

@123Jus1 Its red hot actually, the camera seem don't have IR filter.

[asulca593]

@123Jus1 the mineral oil used to cool the transformer is burning

[hitohane]

Glad that isn't my car sitting there!! How to explain that to the insurance company.

[kc5cxu]

Hi do you gota be so rude.

[inventorrr]

@4:08 Happy Newyear XD

[mysterydjman14]

pritty much the fire companys bitch

[counkev]

Looks somewhat like plasma

[kc5cxu]

watch at 3.50 the car alomost blew up

[kc5cxu]

how much did that one cost the tax payers?

[kc5cxu]

how much did that one cost the tax payers?

[protectoroffaith]

@kc5cxu whats it matter to you crap like this happens all the time they get old and fuck up so what if you have to pay a few extra bucks the next year thats life

[kc5cxu]

umm should thay put water on that or foam?

[narcoti]

I got to hand it to those circuit breakers, they have got to be pretty badass to survive that torture, over and over and over!

[RB5566]

I'm glad that wasn't my car parked right there.

[DjRaveKing]

Rapidly expanding gases in a confined space like a underground tunnel will amplify the sound it is creating , therefore being so fucking loud , but also , i have no idea what those sounds were but the final part seems to be a fucking finale .

[jayjones8686]

was that fire fighter really going to spray that

[matyviola]

black napalm upgrade (?

[Sp33dyD3m0n]

Hhahahaha @ 0:45 Oh no you are not going to squirt that on me!

[needleonthevinyl]

I think there's been a minor short.

[Aluciel286]

i would have liked to see what it looked like down there before and after the fire

[gtxcastrol1]

hope that guy has geico

[predatortheme]

why does it keep exploding downthere?

[zackthegoth]

I feel bad for whoevers car that is.

[MrTpengineer]

@zackthegoth I bet they'll have a shocking experience :)

[zealotmaster2000]

Demons from the underworld are raising to get us all!! D:

[train672]

Would it be possible to fill the hole up with water ? Obviously keep the firemen at a distance but put a non flamable hose down there and start pumping LOTS of water. It couldn't have made the situation worse and it wouldn't have been so noisy with tha hole full of water.

Gee - I think I should have been a firefighter myself, I recon I could teach the old timers a thing or two :)

[firefoxz187]

yes turd boy i really think he going to use water on electric fire WOW111 some people just dont think

[firefoxz187]

no it satan trying to come up all right lmao but his horns got stuck haha

[Yeormom]

Was that fireman really about to use water on an electrical fire?!

[HoneycombAgent]

It sounds like warfare

[TomDonehugh]

dude.....awesome

[Kalanchoe1]

good music

[olivierileonardo6]

c'era da salvare solo1 auto e l'anno lasciata bruciare.volevano spegnere il corto circuito con l'acqua.minkioni stupidi

[Chimb111222]

Pretty colors.....ME GO TOUCH COLORS?!

[shexdensmore]

@Chimb111222

No Petor, no touch!

[shexdensmore]

pop corn any one?

[shexdensmore]

Are those really violet flames? if so i am surprise that they didn't incinerate that car next to it.

[dtiydr]

0:46 Ok ill go back..

[1975micki]

Was this over by the Greater Columbus Convention Center?

[BadIdeaCo]

What were the pop's from.

[Ninja4lifeme]

Whoever owns that car all i can say is you wont need to turn the heat on in it the next morning

[Engineer9736]

Why don't people try to get a forklift or something similar, and get that car away from there?? It seems to be the only valuable object around and they're doing nothing. The transformer is gone anyway so focus on the things that can be saved!

[Synthmilk]

@Engineer9736 Why would you expect anyone to risk their life to save a car?

[Engineer9736]

@Synthmilk they are standing close enough already anyway. And an outdoor forklift has an windshield which protects you.

[joseph9755]

how would you put this out. do u just wait for the power to be shut off to the transformer or wait till i puts its self out.

[Thermoelectric7]

So... Why was there diesel in a transformer?

[hamsteradorable]

who you gonna call Ghost Busters

[13Razgriz37]

this has to be the coolest, yet scariest thing i've ever seen... if i saw taht in real life i would have been like HOLY SH*T R- MUST WAT-RU-WAT-Ru-"Oh look the F.D. is here."

[KG84C]

Doom

[EeRocKK]

I love the smell of plasma in the evening!

[davidwmasquelier]

what was the cause of the explosions.

[jimkinner]

@davidwmasquelier -I work in underground transformer vaults, but not for this particular utility. i haven't see an incident report on this, and I am not sure how their equip. is configured. the popping is caused by the electricity going to ground, the force of fault current blowing the ground clear, and then re making the short again, as it continues the insulation on more secondary cables melt, and more cables fail, until it sounds like a war zone.

[MarineAirsoftReviews]

Okay who let the cat at the Christmas lights again?

[escape170]

It's an underground capacitor bank. You can hear the individual capacitors cooking off and bursting like popcorn. The dielectric oil inside the capacitors along with the copper in the wiring helps give the exiting flame the odd hue.

[Reid107]

FF needs to have his SCBA on... (at least when he's close to the fire) That's some seriously bad stuff burning down there.

[TheAluminiumklorid]

Don´t worry. It´s just Hellboy farting

[calvey9672]

hey dmaw i mean smart ass just what excatly is the guy spraying on the building to keep it from burning?thats what i ment but thanks for the lesson on fire safety.r u one of those guys that has a blue light tucked under ur seat and thinks hes joe fireman

[dmaw2308]

The firefighter is doing exposure protection, not trying to put the fire out. He's trying to keep the building cool so that it will not catch on fire.

[VooDooAssassin2]

Deathwing is coming for us.

[sunxcomesxup]

poor owner of that car

[calvey9672]

cool vid.hats off to the F.D.i would'nt go near that,and i certainly would'nt wanna be the first guy to spray friggin water on it!

[dmaw2308]

@calvey9672 you are stupid. NEVER EVER put water on an electrical fire.... Easy way to get killed.

[koppadasao]

Did someone throw a case of firecrackers down there?

[mathias921]

What is that banging sound?

[Renard380]

@mathias921 i'd say it's the coolant oil in the tubes but i'm not sure, i've seen copper wires make such loud bangs

[TheAluminiumklorid]

@mathias921 electricity ;)

[NFreund]

what are thos small explosions? is it metal thats expanding? sounds like somebody is hitting a big container with something :D

[sailsSK8]

uderground war? :D

[jro9001]

thats scary and do u know the cause?

[dane774]

It's the teenage mutant ninja turtles having a war down there just stay calm.

[jonjoy1999]

the explosion at 3:45 is from the transformer coolant oil bursting from the transformer chassis, either due to over-pressurization from the heat of the fire, or out-gassing inside the transformer from internal arcing, or possibly both

[bill0chatham]

at 0:43 that fireman is like oh yeah i got this shit....OH NOES IM OUT OF HERE

[Alvin691]

Zule!

[CapricornusBS]

Yes, colour of a flame is caused by copper presence.

[0815tobey]

The show begins at 3:45 ;-)

[SuBzErOMKScOrPiOn]

i thought it was safe not to play with water near electricity x_X

[fujitsulifebooke342]

so what's the banging noises?

[ircimager]

@fujitsulifebooke342

changes in air density and temperature make the tubes of the tunnel expand and contract very rapidly, hence the noises

[MrCookieSeller]

7:18 whats those huge popping noise?

[chasefire]

@MrCookieSeller The popping sounds were fuses blowing. They would reset and then pop right away. It kept on until the electric was finally shut off and then were able to quickly put the fire out with foam.

[doktorlindblood]

YEAH EXTINGUISH PLASMA WITH WATER NAIS!!!

[Ihelp4ever]

how does the fire come form the ground :O?

[chasefire]

@Ihelp4ever - The fire was an underground transformer under the sidewalk. There is a metal grate over the top. People walk over them thousands of times a day.

[Ihelp4ever]

wow this are insane!!! dosent people die cuz of it??? and wtf fire from the under ground :O

[lasergeak]

the weird colors are caused by the camera cuz it can't handle the infrared

[andrarict]

@lasergeak

No... the white balance of the camera was incorrectly set, not because it can't handle the light.

[lasergeak]

@andrarict i don't think this camera was expensive enough to have manual white balance XD

[chasefire]

@lasergeak - The camera i used is a Aiptek 8mega pix. very generic and no settings were adjusted ( would know how if i wanted to). lol

[emilen2]

@lasergeak Perhaps, but do keep in mind that transformer wires are insulated with brominated and chlorinated plastic. The odd colored fire is likely caused by these hard-to-burn chemicals.

[lasergeak]

@emilen2 could be but sounds unlikely to me because of the amount of cooling oil that is burning

[chasefire]

@lasergeak Not this time, The flames were just like they were seen in the video. Combination of Copper and diesel fuel. I never saw anything like it. Hope i never will lol.

[lasergeak]

@chasefire interesting



[Serostern]

@chasefire Eh... Copper burns green.... =P

[cortexedge]

@chasefire diesel? from what?

[Sp33dyD3m0n]

@cortexedge There is oil inside of a transformer and diesel is very similar to oil. Just a difference in terminology.

[cortexedge]

@Sp33dyD3m0n I know the transformers are submerged in oil, but oil is oil, and diesel is diesel...

[Sp33dyD3m0n]

@cortexedge Again just a different term used for the same thing. Its really oil, but if you know refining of oil its very close to diesel. Thats why diesel engines dont use spark plugs but get the ignition through compression and glow plugs.

[cortexedge]

@Sp33dyD3m0n maybe, since I'm not a native english speaker, I don't know all the terms for oil, diesel and so on. :)

[Sp33dyD3m0n]

@cortexedge Well you have great English skills. In order of refinement it goes crude oil, diesel, then refined petroleum of different grades.

[DjRaveKing]

@Sp33dyD3m0n Not terminology , it's all because of different boiling points in crude oil .

[juhjuk]

@lasergeak Ok! But is it Kuoppamäki in drums?? Sounds like Sami!!

[dreliford]

@lasergeak not diesel probably a network fire the electrical fault heats up to over 900 degrees which causes the copper wire to melt and vaporize. flames go from blue to green to purple depending on heat. flammable liquids etc are not used by utilities in transformer holes

[LINKdrkguy]

@lasergeak u failed at lookin smart.

[lasergeak]

@LINKdrkguy yep I seem to do that quite often XD

[LINKdrkguy]

@lasergeak i am dissapoint.

[LINKdrkguy]

@lasergeak i fail at making compliments =/

[iToasterman]

@lasergeak no O_o infared would show up differently. this is the copper...

[pixuma]

@lasergeak damn near all cameras have infrared filters in them

[AntiProtonBoy]

That fire has a nice hue, i never seen cooling oil burn in that colour.

[1BoyNinja]

WHAT  is it

[goninanbl00d]

3:45 "Hey guys, I'm done exploding you can pull me out now LOL JK BOOM ZAAAAAAAAAAP BOOOOOOOOM TROLOLOL"

[RoyHess666]

Those sounds are very scary and they must be pretty loud.

[pmgodfrey]

As the fireman approached the transformer said YOU SHALL NOT PASS!

[TWISTERJUMPERCHANNEL]

cool the violet fire =)

by Italy

[Stebraul]

They've discovered an underground heavy metal band, that, or a Jamaican steel drum band, it's hard to tell

[Ben63549]

Why don't they seal these transformers in a vacuum or something? Or some sort of other safety backup to prevent this?

I like how that parked car just sits there doesn't even seem affected!

[chasefire]

@Ben63549 - That was the only car we couldn't find the owner of. He showed up after the fire was out and it started right up and he drove it away. i think it may need a little paint touch up .lol