A transformer caught fire early Wednesday morning after a vehicle struck a pole in El Monte, firefighters said.
The crash was reported around 3:03 a.m. on Durfee Avenue near Valley Boulevard, according to the Los Angeles County Fire Department.
El Monte Police said the driver, who suffered minor injuries, crashed into a pole after he fell asleep and lost control of his vehicle.
The downed transformer caught fire, prompting authorities to shut down Durfee Avenue as firefighters put out the blaze. The street may remain closed between Valley Boulevard and Magnolia Street until Thursday morning, police said.
The crash also triggered a power outage affecting about 50 customers, mostly commercial buildings.
Power crews arrived and were working to restore electricity. Power was expected to be restored by 10 p.m., according to the Southern California Edison outage map.
Joe Studley contributed to this report.
