Transformer fire at TCN substation in Ibadan cuts power to several towns

A 150 MVA transformer and associated cables caught fire at the Ayede sub-station operated by the Transmission Company of Nigeria (TCN) in Ibadan, Nigeria. The fire reportedly started at around 6:15am and distress calls were made to fire services at approximately 7:20am. Station staff initially attempted to extinguish the blaze themselves before calling in external fire services. Firefighters from the Oyo State Fire Service, the Federal Fire Service and corporate fire teams from local organisations responded, alongside the Nigeria Red Cross Society, police and civil defence personnel. The fire was reported extinguished by around 10:30am. Three people sustained minor injuries, including abrasions and slight burns, and were reported to be in stable condition. No fatalities were reported. The Ayede sub-station supplies power to Ibadan, Iseyin, Iwo, Saki and Sagamu, and a station engineer said those communities might be without supply until the transformer was replaced.

An unnamed engineer at the station attributed the fire to an electric surge that caused a spark, which was escalated by the oil inside the transformer. The state fire service director said the highly flammable oil content made the fire difficult to put out promptly and called on TCN to install protective devices for transformers that are over-worked. No official investigation findings were reported.

1. Substations should be fitted with surge protection and overload safety devices to reduce the risk of electrical surges igniting oil-filled transformers.
2. Utilities should ensure station staff are trained to recognise when a fire exceeds their capability and to escalate to emergency services promptly.
3. Coordination between utility operators, municipal fire services and neighbouring corporate emergency teams can improve response times at large infrastructure fires.
4. Given the flammability of transformer oil, firefighting protocols and equipment suited to oil-filled plant should be maintained and rehearsed.
5. Single large transformers serving multiple towns create a concentrated outage risk, so spares and replacement plans should be considered.

majorwavesenergyreport.com/150-mva-transformer-gutted-by-fire-at-tcn-sub-station-in...