It was an aged tree that brought down a Pepco power line this afternoon, touching off a dramatic fire that consumed three cars and at least two trees.

It happened just after 3:30 pm, when the giant elm tree literally broke in half, bringing down a 7,800-volt overhead cable. The arcing power line lay across the street, touching three parked cars. The intensity of the power surge caused the vehicles to burst into flame.

DC Fire/EMS responded quickly to assess a very dangerous situation. After the power company removed the charge, firefighters vigorously attacked the blazes, bringing them under control minutes later. They then turned hoses on the street, where smoke poured from two craters created by the explosion.

“I’d just gotten out of my car when I heard this loud ‘crack,’” said 16-year-old Meredith Fay, whose Mazda 626 was destroyed in the fire. “The fire began almost immediately. I couldn’t believe how fast it went up!”

“It certainly could’ve been a lot worse,” said Battalion Fire Chief Charles Drumming. “Our firefighters moved in, contained what had already been damaged, and prevented further damage through an aggressive operation.”