Manistee County Dispatch received a report of an explosion behind the Bluefish Restaurant at 7:33 a.m. Wednesday June 1, according to a press release issued by the City of Manistee.
“The City of Manistee Fire Department was dispatched to investigate smoke coming from an outside electrical box on the back of the Bluefish Restaurant at 312 River Street. Law enforcement and fire personnel arrived and reported light smoke coming from a ground conduit feeding an unused telephone junction box that had burned and blown away from the building,” the press release states.
“Consumers Energy arrived and began contacting additional resources to isolate the problem. Light smoke and odor was present in the basement of the Bluefish Restaurant which was easily ventilated. There was no fire extension into the building. While the fire department was standing by for Consumers, smoke from the underground conduit began to increase and arcing could be heard.
“Additional personnel were requested back to the scene along with Filer Township Fire Department for additional manpower in the event that fire should extend into the building. Fire broke out from the underground conduit and was quickly extinguished. Heavy smoke also began coming out of two other nearby ground junction boxes located near opposite corners of the back of the building and a transformer.
“The entire building of 312-320 River St., which includes several businesses and upper level apartments, was evacuated as a precaution while electrical service was isolated to the building and the fire department could make sure there was no fire extension inside.
“Once electricity was isolated, residents were allowed back into the building. It is believed that a secondary three-phase service which was connected to the building but no longer in use, shorted out and grounded through the nearby telephone conduit. Consumers Energy remains on the scene restoring power to the building and preparing to replace a ground cabinet transformer.”
This article originally appeared in the Manistee County Press.