"The NYPD and the FDNY are on scene at a Con Ed facility in Astoria where an apparent transformer explosion just lit up the sky over the city," Mayor Bill de Blasio tweeted. "As soon as we have more information, we will share it."

His chief spokesman added it was "not aliens."

pix11.com/2018/12/27/new-yorkers-report-strange-light-over-the-city-power-outages/