NEW YORK (CNN)– A transformer explosion at a power plant in Queens temporarily lit up the New York City skyline in a brilliant blue Thursday night.
But despite the eerily glowing color, an alien invasion it was not.
Instead, the light came as part of a brief electrical fire after a “couple of transformers tripped offline” at the intersection of 20th Avenue and 32nd Street in Astoria, Con Edison spokesman Bob McGee told CNN.
The issue caused a transmission dip in the area, and Con Edison crews responded with the Fire Department of New York, Con Edison said.
The incident is under control and no injuries have been reported, the FDNY said. The explosion was determined to be a non-suspicious equipment malfunction, according to a tweet from the NYPD 114th Precinct.
There are no significant reported power outages anymore, New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo said.
“No injuries, no fire, no evidence of extraterrestrial activity,” the NYPD said on Twitter.
Looks like a transformer at the Con Ed plant blew. Fire seems to be out now. Is everyone ok? pic.twitter.com/lydIkhYMy5
— Lorraine Klimowich (@MsKlimowich) December 28, 2018
The explosions lit up the sky in shades of blue visible as far as Manhattan and New Jersey. The tremors shook buildings and rattled windows, sending people running into the streets.
Residents reported temporary power outages.
The explosions temporarily closed LaGuardia Airport in Queens. No flights took off between 9:22 and 10:23 p.m. ET, according to FlightAware, a flight tracking data company.
All terminals were impacted by the loss of commercial power, causing the FAA to issue a temporary ground stop.
LaGuardia Airport has since resumed to normal operations, the FAA said in an advisory posted to its website.
Con Edison said the airport switched to a backup generator during the transmission disturbance, and all power lines serving the area are in service and the system is stable.
Blue skies in New York, what’s going on? 😱 pic.twitter.com/yBPKeYeh44
— Andres Rios (@_andresrios11) December 28, 2018
Because all FAA facilities at LaGuardia are on generator power there was no interruption to air traffic control, FAA spokesman Greg Martin said.
