Cable Failure Stirs False Alarm Near White House

WASHINGTON — An underground electric power cable failed near the White House early Thursday, causing initial reports of an explosion, officials said. There were no injuries or evacuations, a fire official said.

“It was a malfunction on the cable under ground. We call it a cable fault,” said Steve Arabie, a spokesman for Potomac Electric Power Co. “It could very well have been accompanied by small explosions, just because that’s the word people understand. It’s really just loud pops.”