An electrical fire ignited yesterday during Waltham Open Studios, forcing the art exhibit to close down temporarily and sending sparks flying onto parked cars.
The fire, believed to be caused by an overloaded transformer on a utility pole, broke out just after 4 p.m. yesterday, according to acting Deputy Fire Chief Roger Hebert of the Waltham Fire Department.
"It was outside the building the whole time," he said. "We had to wait for NStar to come turn the power off because we can't throw water on an electrical fire."
Only one fire engine company responded to put out the fire outside of 144 Moody Street, Building 18. No damage was reported to the building.
The fire occurred during the last hour of the 31st Annual Waltham Mills Artists Association Open Studios, cutting the event short for many artists and art enthusiasts.
Meghan Van Alstyne, 21, an artist from Jamaica Plain, traveled to Waltham to host a studio event for an artist who was vacationing.
"There was a nice big crowd watching the sparks shoot out of the telephone poll," she said. "I heard a lot of people say that they were in the middle of finalizing sales and they had to leave the building because they were at risk for a fire."
Local artist Carl West was inside the building when "the lights flickered and went out."
West's business partner Michael Bergman, witnessed the transformer's explosion first hand.
"It was a small fire that started on the poll and it became a bigger fire," Bergman said. "While we were there it burned through several (power cables) that fell onto cars."
Jeff Gilbride can be reached at 781-398-8005 or at jgilbird@cnc.com.
