Power restored to 1400 Auckland homes after car hits transformer

Power has been restored to 1400 homes in Mission Bay after a car hit a transformer which then caught on fire.

Residents had been without power since fire crews were called to the incident on Marau Cres shortly after 6pm.

Crews were waiting for the transformer's power to be isolated before they could put the fire out and investigate further, but the fire was under control and mainly smoking by 6.50pm, said northern communications shift manager Colin Underdown.

Vector crews were on site at 7pm preparing to investigate.

About 1400 homes were without power and Vector was initially unable to say when power would be restored, spokeswoman Melanie Tuala said.

Photo / Johan Koch

James Lund lives two doors down from the transformer on Marau Cres and watched it catch alight.

"There was flickering lights outside the house, and then an explosion kinda like gunfire, and then billows of smoke."

He says fire crews put out the blaze just before 7pm.

"The transformer is still spitting and sputtering smoke even though they just put it out."