Crews free people from elevator after transformer fire knocks power out

A transformer attached to a utility pole caught fire in Mountain View on Tuesday afternoon, causing several small grass fires as well as a power outage that left people stranded in elevators at two separate properties nearby, fire officials said.

Crews responded at 4:07 p.m. to a 911 call about a transformer explosion and multiple grass fires in the 600 block of North Whisman Road.

They arrived within minutes and found six small grass fires and a downed power line. Crews closed North Whisman Road in the area and extinguished the fires.

The fire department also received reports about people trapped in elevators at the two properties, and PG&E was able to restore power to those buildings and free the people inside, fire officials said.

No injuries were reported from the fires and the scene was eventually turned over to PG&E to fully restore service to its customers in the area.