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An underground transformer that caught fire in downtown Sioux Falls Friday morning is blamed for knocking out power to the area.
Sioux Falls Fire Rescue crews were called to 9th Street and Phillips Avenue just before 5 a.m. Friday for smoke coming from a manhole. They found the flames from the fire below the street had blown the manhole cover out of the street.
Officials have closed Phillips Avenue between 8th Street and 10th Street. They're asking people to stay away from the area in case another manhole pops out again.
As crews work to make repairs, outages are moving south along Phillips Avenue. KELOLAND News is at 13th Street and Phillips Avenue and experienced a few power bounces before power went out at 6:30 a.m. Our studios were able to regain power and get back on air to resume KELOLAND This Morning.
Xcel Energy's outage map is reporting 215 people are affected.