Video footage from tourists captured the moments after a transformer exploded at the Hoover Dam, causing a fire on Tuesday.
The explosion occurred around 10:00 a.m. and was put out half an hour later, according to authorities. No one was hurt.
Watch:
“The cause of the fire was under investigation and officials were working to determine the extent of damage to the transformer, one of 15 at the complex that control the voltages for power sent to customers,” the Associated Press reported.
Tourist footage from the walkway on the Hoover Dam Bypass Bridge was captured as well:
Black smoke could be seen billowing out from a turbine house, located on the Arizona side of the Colorado River, downstream from the dam. Alarms could also be heard in the background of one one of the tourist’s videos.
The U.S. Bureau of Reclamation, which operates the power station at the dam, noted that the power grid was unaffected for the millions of customers in Nevada, Arizona, and California, who rely on the energy produced at the dam for energy.
The dam produces, on average, about four billion kilowatt-hours of hydroelectric power each year, according to the Bureau.
The Hoover Dam, constructed between 1931 and 1936, is an engineering marvel that stands at a height of 726 feet tall. The Colorado River flows through the dam and separates Nevada and Arizona.
Breitbart News recently reported that Lake Mead, which is a reservoir that is a part of the Colorado River connecting to the Hoover Dam, could become a “dead pool” if its water levels drop below 150 feet, due to drought conditions. This could potentially endanger the power capacity generation at the Hoover Dam.
The dam is located about 25 miles southeast of Las Vegas.
You can follow Ethan Letkeman on Twitter at @EthanLetkeman.