Fire at Ubungo substation in Dar es Salaam cuts power across parts of the city
Aug 2013Published 18 Sept 2026Responsible editor: Chief Editor
- Where
- Ubungo substation, Dar es Salaam
- Operator
- Tanzania Electric Supply Company (Tanesco)
- What
- Fire damaged control cables and T5 breaker
- Response
- City fire brigade and private security firm
- Cause
- Under investigation
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Companies named in the reporting of this entry (being named is not a finding of fault): Tanzania Electric Supply
What happened
A fire broke out at around 3.30am at the Ubungo substation operated by the Tanzania Electric Supply Company (Tanesco) in Dar es Salaam. The blaze was extinguished through a joint operation between the city fire brigade and a private security firm. Control cables and the T5 breaker of the 33kV substation were affected, and some major power cables were damaged, although the utility said no serious damage was caused. Technicians were still assessing whether other sections of the substation had been damaged.
Numerous areas of the city were affected, including residential neighbourhoods, universities and commercial sites, with Kinondoni District reported as worst affected. Tanesco estimated it would take up to two weeks for supply to stabilise, with intermittent cuts rather than a full blackout while technicians carried out repairs and procured replacement cables through government procurement procedures. Some affected areas were to be reconnected from neighbouring substations in the meantime.
Contributing factors
The cause of the fire could not be immediately established and was under investigation at the time of reporting. The utility said the loss incurred was not yet known.
Lessons learned
- A 33kV substation fire can damage control cables and breakers, so operators should check cable routes and breaker enclosures for fire spread paths.
- Joint response by city fire brigade and on-site security can limit damage in a substation fire, so plans should include rapid access for external teams.
- Replacement of high-voltage cables under government procurement can extend outages by weeks, so utilities should hold critical spares or pre-agreed emergency contracts.
More lessons on spacing, layout and fire spread, theft, arson and site security, electrical protection and isolation, from every incident on the register.
Not yet known
- Exact cause of the fire
- Age and model of the T5 breaker
- Total cost of damage and repairs
This entry is updated when these are reported. Get an alert for the next one like it.
Source
Other entries that name Salaam
Published 2026-09-18. Written from public reporting. Descriptive, not investigative. See the data accuracy disclaimer.
