What caused the loud blast in downtown Mobile Wednesday?

FOX 10 News is asking questions about an explosion caused by an electrical failure in downtown Mobile Wednesday.

The blast shook windows and forced the evacuation of a downtown building.

But what caused it?

And how unusual is something like this?

There are some answers but still questions about an incident here outside the Mobile County Courthouse Annex that rattled windows and nerves.

It happened about 8:45 Wednesday morning.

Danelle Walker, who was across the street, said, "It sounded like a bomb went off. That's how bad it was."

It forced the evacuation of the annex.

Margie Pruden was in the annex and said, "We all had to go down the stairs and everybody was rushing."

Thursday, Alabama Power Spokesperson Beth Thomas said the malfunction was caused by failure of one of the cables running into a piece of equipment called a switchgear.

It's a large box with switches and fuses that controls electrical equipment.

But the company hasn't determined what caused the equipment to fail, blowing out a manhole cover.

Andrea Holcombe said she was in the Hampton Inn at the time of the incident.

She said, "I started to run. I did run for my life. I thought it was an earthquake, it was so loud."

Thomas calls the incident "extremely rare."

She said it's happened once or twice in Mobile over the last 10 years.

She also says this location downtown is the only place in Mobile where this specific type of equipment is underground.

The surveillance video also showed something unusual, too.

A man walked right past the area just 28 seconds before the blast.

Angela Goodrow said, "That's amazing. God's blessings were watching that man, for sure."

Susan Todd said, "Wow! It's a wonder it didn't do more damage. I can't believe he's okay. He can go to the casino and play. His luck is with him."

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