Fire At WP & L Substation

Authorities in Fond du Lac were inundated with 9-1-1 calls after an explosion and fire at an Alliant Energy substation that led to a power outage on the east side of the City this morning. Fire Chief Peter O’Leary says it happened at 543 Pine Tree Drive in the area of Rienzi Road. He says there was huge black plume of smoke at the substation just east of National. Chief O’Leary says the fire burned itself out, but caused enough damage to require some significant repairs at the substation. Alliant Energy spokeswoman Ann Marie Newman confirms a squirrel got into some electrical equipment at the substation causing the outage at 9:06 a.m. Power was restored at 10:26 a.m. Newman says 5,000 Wisconsin Power & Light customers were affected by the outage. She says the fire caused substantial damage at the substation, which will take some time to repair.  Fond du Lac Fire Department photos.