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Firefighters fought a violent fire on Tuesday night as police hijacked traffic and evacuated a nearby apartment complex.
The fire started shortly after 8 pm when a Florida Power and Light substation on Northeast Sixth Avenue in downtown Fort Lauderdale was struck by lightning, a police spokeswoman said.
Thousands of Fort Lauderdale residents were sitting in the dark Tuesday night after losing power around 8:05 pm.
Fort Lauderdale Police Detective Tracy Figone said the officers evacuated residents of the Regal Trace apartment complex with great caution.
"We are diverting the flow of fire," she said.
The fire also reportedly forced the closure of the Broward Center for the Performing Arts on Tuesday night.
"The night fell on black just after 8 pm," tweeted a woman who was present for a show.
Stephen Gollan, spokesman for the Fort Lauderdale Fire Department, could not be contacted for an immediate comment.
But several witnesses went on Twitter and Instagram, posting photos and videos of the fire and black smoke.
Florida Power & Light announced that more than 20,000 customers had lost electricity Tuesday night in Fort Lauderdale. It was not known if the fire had caused all the breakdowns.
The leaders of the FPL were waiting for the power to be restored at 22:30.
This is a story in development. Please check again for updates.
Susannah Bryan can be contacted at [email protected] or at 954-356-4554. Find her on Twitter @Susannah_Bryan.
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