GINGOOG City — Residents here panicked after a loud explosion rocked a substation of the Misamis Oriental II Rural Electric Service Cooperative (Moresco II) in Barangay 22 at around 9:40 pm last Sunday, April 27.
No injuries were reported, and the extent of the damage is still being undetermined as of press time.
According to initial reports, a main transformer near City Hall also exploded, while minor explosions occurred at transformers mounted on nearby poles.
The blasts caused a widespread blackout lasting five to nine hours across Gingoog, Magsaysay, and Medina.
Power was restored to Medina at around 3 am and to parts of Gingoog and Magsaysay by 7 am the following day.
In a social media post, Moresco II said its teams worked overnight to repair damaged lines, isolate conductors, and troubleshoot the affected 10 MVA Gingoog Substation.
Power on the 69-kilovolt transmission line was fully restored after about nine hours, with normal electricity service returning on the morning of April 28.
Ronnie Gonzaga, a utility worker at Radyo Pilipinas dxGS Gingoog, which is located in front of the substation, witnessed the explosion.
“I saw a flash, then heard a loud explosion, followed by a massive upward flash of light that lasted about five minutes. It looked like giant fireworks lighting up party of the city,” Gonzaga said.
Jocelyn Geollegue, Moresco II Area Manager for Gingoog, declined to comment, referring inquiries to the cooperative’s main office in Medina.
Observers said the explosion appeared to be the most severe incident yet in a series of unscheduled power interruptions affecting the Moresco II service area, which have typically lasted two to five hours.
The explosion was heard across several barangays, including Barangays 24, 20, 23, 22-A, 5, and 7. Residents also reported seeing thick smoke and a column of light rising from the ground into the sky.
Initial findings suggest that while the 10 MVA power transformer was not critically damaged, the high-voltage current and potential transformers were burned, possibly triggering the massive explosion. Several distribution wires were also damaged.
Authorities said the cause and full extent of the damage remain under investigation.
