Electrical Fire Cuts Power Downtown Tallahassee

An electrical fire disrupted downtown Tallahassee on Tuesday, Oct. 6, 2026, cutting power and closing streets. The fire, which appears to have originated near a street paving project by the Florida Department of Transportation on Monroe Street between Jefferson Street and Apalachee Parkway, prompted a multi-agency response.

Firefighters responded to a fire alarm at the Leon County Courthouse at 5:15 a.m. The intense electrical event reportedly blew manhole covers into the air. The Tallahassee Police Department directed traffic around the courthouse block, which city officials closed due to non-operational traffic lights.

City of Tallahassee utilities shut down the electric grid to address the fire. Generators provided lighting at key intersections, including those leading to the State Capitol building, while crews worked.

By 1 p.m., 153 customers remained without power, according to the utility. The Tallahassee Fire Department, Tallahassee Police Department, City of Tallahassee Electric & Gas Utility, City of Tallahassee Underground Utilities & Public Infrastructure department, Leon County Sheriff’s Office, Capitol Police and FDOT coordinated the response. The exact cause of the fire remains under investigation.