A transformer exploded at a New York City power plant on Thursday night, making the sky bright blue and causing panic in the city.
The New York City Police Department on Twitter stated that the blue light came from a “transformer explosion at a Con Ed facility in Queens” and added that the fire from the explosion was under control.
“ADVISORY: The lights you have seen throughout the city appear to have been from a transformer explosion at a Con Ed facility in Queens. The fire is under control, will update as more info becomes available,” the department tweeted.
The blue light, which was visible as far as Manhattan and New Jersey, was also accompanied by tremors that shook buildings and rattled windows, sending people running into the streets.
The New York City Fire Department reported that there were no injuries in the incident.
Con Edison spokesman Bob McGee told CNN that 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.
The issue caused a transmission dip in the area, and Con Edison crews responded with the Fire Department of New York, Con Edison added.
LaGuardia Airport initially grounded all flights following the explosion but has since lifted the grounding.
Before authorities announced that the explosion had occurred, the blue lights provoked a craze on social media on Thursday night.
Twitter users, unsure of what had caused the light, shared photos and videos on Thursday night of New York City’s sky. Some joked that aliens may have been invading.
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