Electrical fires, power outages pop up around San Antonio amid light rain

SAN ANTONIO – Rain showers were a welcomed sight for locals on Monday morning, but that may have also led to some electrical fires.

As a cold front moved in, San Antonio firefighters and CPS Energy crews responded to electrical fires and power outages across the city.

As of 7:30 a.m., 89 power outages were affecting more than 5,700 customers, and 14 electrical fires were reported by SAFD.

Because of the drought, there has been dust build-up on power lines. When light rain touches the dry lines, that causes “tracking” or arching wires, according to CPS Energy.

The “tracking” can lead to pole fires, transformer fires and downed lines, causing outages.

In one incident, an electrical pole sparked and a power line fell on top of a home on the West Side. The house, located in the 2700 block of El Paso Street, caught fire, but no one was injured.

Winds aren’t all that strong but that could be a contributing factor too, according to KSAT 12 meteorologists.

In a Tweet, CPS Energy said, “our crews are working quickly and safely to resolve weather-related outages.”

“We ask our community for patience as we work & travel in the current weather conditions.”

For the latest updates on outages, click here.

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