911 and the local electrical company have been contacted. A storm came through, we lost power, it came back but fluctuates. We then noticed that the local transformer was on fire. I was alarmed at the sound and concept but my husband wasn’t that phased. How common is this and how much should I worry? We are not in a fire prone area.

This actually happened to me recently, with similar results: loud bang, no power, hot and sweaty because Texas, electric came out and fixed it the next day, and the day after that they came back to clean up the mess they left in our backyard. Overall, not an experience I’d like to repeat, but I’m glad it was handled quickly.