On Thursday night, New Yorkers were taken by surprise when a bright blue light suddenly brightened the New York skyline. People started sharing on social media the recordings and photos of the brightly lit sky which sparked rumours about aliens. Although, New York Police Department (NYPD) revealed the real reason behind the spectacle. A transformer explosion in Queens sent an eerie blue light startling the residents. People residing in northwest Queens reported hearing loud bangs and seeing a bright blue light flashing on the city’s skyline, as reported by Fox 5. UFO Spotted in Florida Skies? Google Maps Capture Mysterious Object Near the Bermuda Triangle.

Con Edison plant confirmed that a couple of transformers tripped offline at the substation at 20th Avenue and 32nd Street, sparking a fire. The explosion lit the sky so bright that it briefly appeared to be daytime in neighbourhoods like Astoria and Woodside, residents reported. NBC New York reported that smoke arose from the blue light that was visible from as far as Manhattan. NYPD posted on Twitter and said they were investigating the reason behind the blue lit sky. SpaceX Falcon 9 Rocket Launch in California Lights up The Sky Mysteriously, People Guess Alien and UFOs, Watch Pics and Videos!

NYPD’s Tweet Confirming a Transformer Explosion

People quickly started tweeting on social media and hashtag trends #bluesky, #bluelight #nyc started trending on Twitter. Many started sparking rumours about alien invasion as well ahead of New Years.

Con Edison said its crews responded to a fire at the substation and that it caused scattered power outages. The Port Authority reported a partial power outage at LaGuardia Airport which is near the power plant. Video from the helicopter showed crews examining equipment at the plant. Residents of Astoria, Long Island City, Jackson Heights and Forest Hills all reported similar sounds and sights.

(The above story first appeared on LatestLY on Dec 28, 2018 09:21 AM IST. For more news and updates on politics, world, sports, entertainment and lifestyle, log on to our website latestly.com).