Fernandina Beach man sees downed power line catch neighbor's yard on fire

A Fernandina Beach man got a startling surprise when he walked outside and saw a downed power line on fire.

Popping and buzzing sounds made Mark Leaptrot come out of his house around 3 a.m. Friday to find a power line that had caught fire.

"There was a bright flash over here in this area so I got up and opened the door and walked out and there was just a glow," Leaptrot said.

Leaptrot said every 30 to 40 seconds there would be another jolting noise coming from the dangling power line.

"It was a loud, kind of a hard to describe, and a really bright white flash every once and while," Leaptrot said.

The fire lasted about an hour, even though Leaptrot said the fire department quickly came to the scene.

"I saw them drive up here and they stopped and then they started backing up so I guess they didn't want to get anywhere near the power line either," Leaptrot said.

Shortly after, he said, Florida Power and Light crews were out repairing the line.

"I guess they cut a grid because everybody's lights went out at one time and I guess that's when they were able to fix the line," Leaptrot said.

Leaptrot said he posted the pictures to Facebook early Friday morning to warn neighbors not to go outside, and that’s when the homeowner learned that this had happened in his front yard.

Cox Media Group