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Grid infrastructureUnited KingdomEIR-0786

Fire in switch room at Stafford substation cuts power to 19,000 homes

Oct 2022Published 15 Sept 2026Responsible editor: Chief Editor

SignificantElectrical
Estimated damageEstimated by the register's adjusterHow? Know the real figure?
Figure hidden: shown to subscribersMedium confidence
supply cut for about •• daysShown in the record →Full estimate
From the recordRoot cause hiddenFailed part hidden
Where
substation on Kamienna Close in Stafford, England
What
Fire broke out in the switch room
Injuries
None reported
Response
Staffordshire Fire and Rescue Service called at 13:15 BST
Outcome
19,000 homes lost power, all but one restored by 16:30

Companies named in the reporting of this entry (being named is not a finding of fault): National Grid, Western Power Distribution

What happened

A fire broke out in the switch room of an electricity substation on Kamienna Close in Stafford, England. Staffordshire Fire and Rescue Service was called at approximately 13:15 BST following reports of an explosion and smoke in the area. On arrival, firefighters found a fire in the switch room of the substation. The incident caused approximately 19,000 homes to lose power. National Grid stated that engineers rerouted electricity supplies, and all but one affected property had power restored by 16:30 the same day.

Teams from Western Power Distribution attended the site and were to assess the extent of the damage once it was safe to enter. No injuries were reported as a result of the fire.

Lessons learned

  1. A switch room fire at a substation can cut supply to thousands of homes, so operators must maintain rapid rerouting of supplies.
  2. Damage assessment after a substation switch room fire must wait until the site is safe to enter.

More lessons on outages, backup supply and restoration, from every incident on the register.

Not yet known

  • Cause of the fire
  • Which company operates the substation
  • Extent of damage and repair cost
  • Model and age of the switchgear

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

Source

BBC News (bbc.com)

Published 2026-09-15. Written from public reporting. Descriptive, not investigative. See the data accuracy disclaimer.

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