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Bethesda ‘Sewer Fire’ Likely Caused By Underground Electrical Problem

By WTOP Staff

PNC Bank in downtown BethesdaAs a severe thunderstorm hit Bethesda on Tuesday afternoon, Montgomery County firefighters responded to a call they don’t get often — a sewer fire.

At 2:19 p.m., MCFRS units were called to the incident in front of the PNC Bank at 7235 Wisconsin Ave, department spokesperson Beth Anne Nesselt said. The fire was likely the result of an electrical transformer problem underground.

MCFRS quickly called Pepco to address the problem. No one was hurt and firefighters cleared the scene about 20 minutes later.

It did cause a bit of a stir. Michael Harr, chef at the Food, Wine & Co. restaurant across the street, tweeted that the fire looked like an inferno:

On Wednesday, there wasn’t much evidence left of the fire. Crews were busy installing new brick sidewalks in front of the bank.

Emergency guide: What you should do to prepare for emergencies

By WTOP Staff
WASHINGTON — Do you know what you'd do if an emergency hits? What if you're at work, your spouse is stuck in traffic and your children are in school? There's no way to plan for every emergency, but you can make sure you're prepared for different scenarios, including making a plan for your family and building a kit of emergency supplies.
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