Fire at Minden Hills substation cuts power to over 23,000 customers

A fire broke out around 4pm at a hydro substation on County Road 21 near Minden, Ontario, during a severe thunderstorm. The site was referred to by local fire services as the Minden Transfer Station, and Hydro One staff attended. The fire knocked out power to more than 23,000 customers across Minden Hills, Haliburton Highlands and northern sections of the City of Kawartha Lakes. Provincial police closed the road and some nearby residents were made to leave their homes because of excess smoke. Fire crews from Minden, Dysart et al and Algonquin township battled the blaze for hours. Power was restored to most customers by just before 10pm the same day, though pockets of customers remained without power the following morning, when crews were still on scene. The cause of the fire had not been determined at the time of reporting.

The fire occurred during a severe thunderstorm, but no link between the weather and the cause of the fire was reported. The cause was not determined at the time of reporting.

1. Substation fires can cause widespread, multi-community outages affecting tens of thousands of customers.
2. Mutual aid arrangements between neighbouring fire departments matter for substation fires in rural areas, where single brigades may lack resources for a long response.
3. Smoke from a substation fire can force residents out of nearby homes, so evacuation planning and public communication should be prepared in advance.
4. Severe weather can complicate both firefighting and restoration, and response plans should allow for crews remaining on site beyond the first day.

globalnews.ca/news/4356575/minden-hills-hydro-fire