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Kernersville officials say crash-triggered electrical event caused downtown fire; multiple agencies assisted
Summary
Town officials praised the fire-rescue response to a large Saturday fire at Colorado Electric and said the town's fire marshal concluded the fire began with a catastrophic electrical event after a motor vehicle struck a utility pole. The board gave an ovation to emergency responders and thanked mutual-aid partners.
Kernersville officials on May 28 reported that a recent large fire at a Colorado Electric facility began when a motor vehicle crashed into a utility pole, triggering what the town's fire marshal called a "catastrophic electrical event," and they praised local and mutual-aid crews for preventing spread to adjacent properties.
A town speaker who identified himself as a fire official told the Board of Aldermen that the department's investigation, with verification help from the North Carolina Office of State Fire Marshal and electrical engineers, concluded the fire was caused by a vehicle impacting a utility pole and nearby power lines. "They have finished their investigation, and they have determined that there was a catastrophic, electrical event that occurred as a result of motor vehicle crash that impacted utility pole and power lines that were in the area," the official said.
Town leaders publicly thanked Kernersville Fire Rescue and the many departments and agencies that assisted on scene, including Winston-Salem Fire Department, Forsyth County Fire & EMS, Beeson's Crossroads Fire Department, Piney Grove Fire Department, Oak Ridge Fire Department, Union Cross Fire Department, Walkertown Fire Department, Greensboro Fire Department and others that backfilled stations while crews were concentrated at the incident. Officials also recognized help from the town's police department, public services personnel, and the county 911 center for coordinating dispatch.
Mayor and board members rose to give a standing ovation for the fire and police personnel. One board member asked the aldermen and the public to recognize the response as "an extraordinary marshaling of the resources of this community." A resident who viewed the scene described it as "one of the craziest things" he had seen and commended first responders for their performance.
Why this matters: Town officials said the response not only extinguished the fire but limited the incident's impact on surrounding properties, and the board took the occasion to acknowledge mutual-aid relationships and the work of multiple departments. The public update also sought to correct community speculation about the fire's cause by releasing the fire marshal's finding.
What the board recorded: The board heard the update at the start of its session and did not take further formal action on the incident during the meeting. Officials said the fire marshal's written press release and the state office's verification were completed prior to the meeting.
Ending note: Board members asked staff to share appreciation with all departments and partners involved in the response.
