More Than 300 Homes Without Power After Transformer Fire, Power Back by 11:30

A transformer fire along Essex Street in Hamilton has cut power to more than 300 Hamilton homes on Thursday morning. Another 1,500 homes in Essex are without power too.

It happened at about 9:15 a.m. near the intersection of Essex Street and Echo Cove Road, just west of the Essex town line. Both the Hamilton Fire Department and Hamilton Police Department were called there.

The outage affects 327 homes along Bridge, Essex and Sagamore streets and many of the side streets in the area, according to National Grid.

As of 9:45 a.m., National Grid estimated that power would be restored by 11:30 a.m. A crew was already on scene evaluating the problem and beginning repairs by 10 a.m.

For a short time, power was cut to Hamilton-Wenham Regional High School, according to several students.

Traffic was being diverted around the area, down Bridge and Sagamore streets near The Junction condominiums on the east side and down School Street on the west end.