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Grid infrastructureUnited KingdomEIR-0543

Fire at Welwyn Garden City Substation causes large smoke plume

Jan 2025Published 7 Sept 2026Responsible editor: Chief Editor

SignificantThermal / fire
Estimated damageEstimated by the register's adjusterHow? Know the real figure?
Figure hidden: shown to subscribersLow confidence
supply cut for about •• daysShown in the record →Full estimate
From the recordRoot cause hidden
Where
Welwyn Garden City Substation, Welwyn Garden City, Hertfordshire
What
Fire broke out at around 10.20am on 11 January 2025
Injuries
None reported
Response
Hertfordshire Fire and Rescue Service dispatched two fire engines
Cause
Not reported

What happened

A fire broke out at Welwyn Garden City Substation in Welwyn Garden City, Hertfordshire, at around 10.20am on 11 January 2025. The blaze produced a large tower of black smoke that was visible for miles, with residents reporting sightings from as far away as London Colney and Hertford. Hertfordshire Fire and Rescue Service was called to the scene and initially dispatched two fire engines. The fire was subsequently brought under control, and crews carried out damping down operations at the site.

No injuries were reported in connection with the incident. The event occurred on the same day as a separate large industrial fire at a business centre in nearby Letchworth, which also required a significant fire service response.

Contributing factors

Not reported.

Lessons learned

  1. Substation fires can produce large visible smoke plumes, so operators should prepare public communication plans in advance.
  2. Electrical substation fires can be controlled by damping down after initial response, limiting harm to staff.
  3. Fire services may need extra resources when substation fires coincide with other local incidents on the same day.

More lessons on emergency response and public communication, fire suppression and firefighting, from every incident on the register.

Not yet known

  • Contributing factors to the fire
  • Operator of the substation
  • Downtime or supply impact
  • Cost of damage and repairs

This entry is updated when these are reported. Get an alert for the next one like it.

Source

whtimes.co.uk

Published 2026-09-07. Written from public reporting. Descriptive, not investigative. See the data accuracy disclaimer.

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