Underground transformer explodes, prompting smoke to billow from the ground downtown

Twin plumes of smoke came pouring out of sidewalk grates along Market Street late Friday afternoon, triggering a response from the Wichita Fire Department.

Roughly a half dozen fire trucks and a dozen firefighters responded to the fire, which came in as a grass fire call but was ultimately caused by an underground transformer explosion, according to fire Capt. Nathan Neises.

Davie Hobbs was driving to Exploration Place around 4:30 p.m. with his family when he saw the columns of black smoke coming from the ground near the Salvation Army…

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