The blowout occurred at about 1:45pm at a step-down transformer in front of the Patong Post Office on Rat-U-Thit 200 Pi Rd.
Jaray Ratthakan of the Provincial Electricity Authority (PEA) Patong office explained that a small transformer at the main step-down junction of cables failed, causing the powerful electrical short.
Although an eye-witness reported to The Phuket News earlier today that several people suffered minor injuries in the blowout, both Mr Jaray and the Patong Municipality Fire Department said that no injuries had been reported to them.
“We used a dried chemical fire suppressant to stop fire, which took about 10 minutes,” one fireman told The Phuket News.
PEA workers shut off power supply to the transformer in order to make repairs. However, power supply from the junction had yet to be restored as of 5:30pm.
“The power outage affected only one hotel. No other buildings were affected,” Mr Jaray said.
“We are short-handed as we dispatched workers to repair a power pylon that was brought down by a water truck on Karon Hill earlier today,” he said. (See story here.)
The power blowout today follows a loud explosion on Bangla Rd in Patong yesterday as a power overload saw several electricity meters short out and start a small fire in one of the bars on the busy street. (See story here.)
The blowout this afternoon also followed Phuket’s high-voltage mains power supply from the mainland being switched over from the old 115kV supply the island has been relying on for years to the new network that can support up to 500kV at 10am today. (See story here.)