WHITING – Parts of Whiting had a significant power outage after a car struck a pole, causing a transformer to explode, officials said.
The crash occurred on Monday around 9:40 p.m. in the area of Route 530 between Cherry Street and Locust Street. First responders found a grey 2025 Kia K5 with extensive front end damage due to hitting a utility pole in the eastbound shoulder of Route 530.
According to police, the car was traveling in the eastbound lane when the driver encountered a frozen section of roadway. As a result, the car lost traction while negotiating a curve, left the roadway, and collided into the utility pole.
As a fire engine arrived on scene, the car burst into flames, Whiting Fire Company 33 said.
Firefighters quickly knocked down the blaze and confirmed no direct electrical hazard on the vehicle.
The driver, 19-year-old Julia Drennan of Forked River, sustained a minor injury, and refused medical attention on scene, police said.
The power was subsequently out in the area until after midnight, Whiting Fire Company 33 said. The roadway was closed for several hours with a detour while Jersey Central Power and Light crews made repairs to the utility pole.
Assisting at the scene were members of the Whiting Volunteer Fire Company, including responding units Chief 3300, Asst Chief 3310, Engine 3301, Tanker 3318, Utility 3327, and Utility 3337.
At this time, the cause of the crash is under investigation by the Manchester Police Department.
