Grid infrastructureUnited StatesEIR-0908

Substation fire knocks out power in Medway

Jan 2014Published 16 Sept 2026Responsible editor: Chief Editor

SignificantElectricalProvisional

Estimated damageEstimated by the register's adjusterHow? Know the real figure?

supply cut for about •• daysShown in the record →Full estimate

From the recordRoot cause

Where: electrical substation in Medway
What: fire after piece of electrical equipment failed
Cause: Not reported
Outcome: supply restored while fire still burning

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What happened

On 8 January 2014, a fire broke out at an electrical substation in Medway after a piece of electrical equipment failed. Power was knocked out to hundreds of residents. A live report said 6,000 customers had lost power and were on backup, and that supply had been restored while the fire was still burning.

Contributing factors

A piece of electrical equipment failed and started the fire. The source does not say why it failed.

Lessons learned

A failed piece of electrical equipment in a substation can start a fire and cut power to thousands of customers, so operators should inspect all similar units for early signs of failure.
Backup supply can restore power while a substation fire is still burning, so operators must keep the site isolated until the fire is out and the cause is known.

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

Not yet known

Why the equipment failed
Type and age of the failed equipment
Exact number of customers affected
Duration of the outage

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

Source

wcvb.com

Published 2026-09-16. Written from public reporting. Descriptive, not investigative. See the data accuracy disclaimer.

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