BLOOMFIELD (KDKA) – A transformer fire plunged a Bloomfield neighborhood into darkness Saturday night and damaged homes and cars nearby.

Neighbors came out Sunday morning to see the ugly aftermath of the transformer fire on Pearl Street.

Duquesne Light said high electric usage during the extreme heat caused it to burst into flames.

The resulting fire melted vinyl siding on several homes.

“At first, the way it was it kind of seemed these houses were on fire I didn’t realize the transformer had blown up until later,” Johnathan Schneider said.

“The transformer was on fire. The cops and everybody were saying stay back,” Tim Amos said.

The explosion caused mineral oil from the transformer to spill and burn in the street which left a huge black spot.

A utility pole was burned by the heat along with power lines and several parked cars.

“I’m going to have to get a rental car and they’re going to have to pay to get my truck painted and my car,” Amos said.

Amos’ car and others were coated with mineral oil from explosion.

This ordeal is far from over for the owners of five vehicles that were parked on the street last night. All of them will be towed away and decontaminated over the next few days.

The burned transformer has been replaced and the electricity was restored.

A spokesman for Duquesne Light said the utility company will work with all of the neighbors whose homes and cars were damaged.

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