Thousands without power after explosion, fire at Madison Gas and Electric
MADISON, Wis. – Two fires are burning at downtown Madison properties of the Madison Gas and Electric company.
MGE spokesman Steve Schultz says the fire is in a substation across the street from the Blount generating plant.
The first and larger of the two fires appears to be at the MG&E property at 1722 E. Main St., just off on East Washington Avenue. A second fire could be seen at the substation behind Ogg Hall on the University of Wisconsin-Madison campus.
The UW Madison Police tweeted that a fire was happening at an MG&E substation south of Ogg Hall and gave instructions to "evacuate immediately." The university also tweeted the UW Madison Police are responding to a fire at a substation near East Campus Mall.
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Ogg Hall, Newell Smith Hall, LaBahn Arena and the Nicholas Recreation Center have all been evacuated, according to an alert from the university. A temporary shelter has been opened at the Kohl Center for those displaced.
WiscAlert-Fire MG&E substation south of Ogg Hall. Evacuate immediately. Avoid the area. Follow instructions from authorities.
— UW-Madison (@UWMadison) July 19, 2019
Update: UWPD is responding to a fire at the MGE substation near East Campus Mall. All asked to avoid area around Park/Dayton/East Campus Mall. More details to come.
— UW-Madison (@UWMadison) July 19, 2019
Here is a pic of the fire to add to all the pics of the fire at @MGEMadison in downtown #Madison. pic.twitter.com/PP6TlrbMAK
— Caroline Sullivan (@carolineradaj) July 19, 2019
Not the best way to start the hottest day of the year with fires all over Madison and rolling blackouts pic.twitter.com/8madN8Q6lK
— Aaron Zein (@AaronZein) July 19, 2019
Two fires burning in Madison.... pic.twitter.com/xr5huCv5ZQ
— Mark Gehring (@markgehring) July 19, 2019
Follow Keith Schubert on Twitter at @keithsch94.
This article originally appeared on Milwaukee Journal Sentinel: Madison Gas and Electric, Wisconsin fire: Thousands without power