That was exactly my point, I have never heard that in Europe and I would say at least a dozen of them in US in a decade. Probably because there are more of them and exposed.

I am not criticizing the infrastructure but as European (and this is something others told me) it feels weird to see transformers hanging from poles and every now and then blowing up.

And I mentioned the weather because my experience is that it usually happens during storms, it might be lightnings or tree branches but that is what I have seen.