Photo from Charles Scholl A fire that started in a transformer located behind the Giant on Leaman Farm Road in Germantown burns above the treetops on Thursday.

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Photo from Charles Scholl Montgomery County firefighters work to extinguish a fire in a transformer located behind the Giant on Leaman Farm Road in Germantown on Thursday. Prior to firefighters arriving on the scene at about 7 p.m., the fire spread to the surrounding trees and mulched areas with flames reaching above the trees.
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Photo from Charles Scholl Montgomery County firefighters work to extinguish a fire in a transformer located behind the Giant on Leaman Farm Road in Germantown on Thursday. Prior to firefighters arriving on the scene at about 7 p.m., the fire spread to the surrounding trees and mulched areas with flames reaching above the trees.

Photo from Charles Scholl A fire that started in a transformer located behind the Giant on Leaman Farm Road in Germantown burns above the treetops on Thursday.

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A transformer caught fire outside of the Giant on Leaman Farm Road in Germantown on Thursday evening, according to county fire officials.

Capt. Oscar Garcia, spokesperson for Montgomery County Fire & Rescue Service, said firefighters responded to a call for an electrical short at about 7 p.m. and saw smoke at the rear of the store upon their arrival.

“They did have a fire in the transformer approximately 75 feet away from the back of the store,” Garcia said.

Garcia said the electrical fire did not reach the store and mostly was contained to the transformer. The store also was evacuated, he said.

Mike Lefnar, seafood manager for the store, also said the fire did not reach or damage the store.

“It was pretty centrally located,” Lefnar said.

The store was open Friday.

“We’re back and fully stocked and ready to roll,” he said.

Lefnar said the fire started after a truck backed into the transformer. However, neither Garcia nor a Giant spokesperson could confirm this.

Jeff Schmidt, a clerk who was at the store when the fire started, said the store lost power and they had to move items into a refrigeration unit.

Customers and employees left the store safely, he said, and the transformer was being replaced as of noon Friday.

“They’re doing it right now,” he said.

lpowers@gazette.net