FIRE DOWNS UTILITY LINE, THOUSANDS LOSE POWER, TRAFFIC TIED-UP

More than 3,000 PSE&G customers lost power this afternoon after fire hit a power line at Harvard Avenue and Valley Street, sparking a shutdown of Valley between
Tuscan Street and Girard Place  and creating major traffic diversions.

Police on the scene said the incident began at about 2:30 p.m. when the utility line was hit by a falling branch.

They also issued his alert at 3:53 p.m.:

Valley St will be closed from Tuscan Rd to Girard Pl. This is due to a power outage. Use Prospect St, Ridgewood Rd and Wyoming Ave to access S Orange and Millburn. Springfield Ave has several traffic lights out at this time. Avoid this area. Updated message will be sent when conditions change

The Maplewood Fire Department responded and doused the flames quickly, but the street shutdown forced traffic to be diverted on to side streets, jamming up nearby Prospect St. and Springfield Avenue.

See video below: