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Careless driver causes Buttercup residents to lose their cool

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Residents of Buttercup Creek sweltered through a power outage Sunday afternoon, after an electrical transformer box exploded in the Buttercup Creek Apartments complex, sending acrid black smoke billowing through the neighborhood.

Cedar Park Fire Department Battalion Chief Jeff Queen said the transformer was hit by a vehicle, but it is unknown whether the collision was an accident or was done with criminal intent. It may have been backed into, or may have been hit as the vehicle cut a corner too short in the parking lot. No witnesses to the explosion or collision have come forward.

The incident is being investigated by the Cedar Park Police Department as a “leaving the scene” traffic violation.

“The investigation is ongoing,” CPPD Capt. Jeff Hayes said. “Our primary focus now is to identify the vehicle involved. We are looking for anyone who may have seen the incident or witnessed the vehicle leaving the scene.”

The transformer was knocked off its foundation by the impact shortly after 2 p.m.  Cedar Park police and firefighters were on scene minutes later.

After the initial explosion, neighborhood residents reported that their lights flickered, but power was still on. Before the fire was extinguished, there was a second, smaller explosion, after which power went down in the subdivision.

Faught said the abundance of black smoke from the fire was most likely due to a vegetable oil-based insulation used in the transformers. He said there may have been as much as 10 gallons of oil in the unit.

A portion of the Buttercup Creek subdivision west of the apartments was without electricity for several hours during the hottest part of the day. Apartment residents suffered for up to four and a half hours. Temperatures on Sunday afternoon topped 100 degrees.

Residents who tried to cool off at the city's Buttercup Pool - less than 100 yards from the explosion - were turned away. The pool had to be closed because the pumps and electrical systems were not working.

Power was rerouted and restored to the neighborhood first, but the transformer had to be replaced before service could be restored to the apartment complex.

Pete Brooks, district service coordinator for the Pedernales Electric Cooperative, said 125 customers were without service at the height of the incident. Power had been restored to all customers by 7 p.m.

Anyone with information about the incident is asked to call CPPD Investigator Mike McCann at 260-4790.

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