Fire at Leicester substation cuts power to 45,000 properties
EIR-1131Provisional entry. Published from first reports. This entry is rechecked automatically and updated when more sources appear. Next update: 20 September 2026.
A fire broke out at a high voltage electrical substation on Ravensbridge Drive in Leicester at around 10:45 GMT, cutting power to about 45,000 properties across the LE3, LE4 and LE7 postcode areas and surrounding areas including Groby, Glenfield and Birstall. Businesses along the A6, including several retailers, closed for the day, roads were closed and a local library was evacuated. Traffic lights in the area failed. Leicestershire Fire and Rescue Service said about 8,800 litres of oil had to be allowed to burn off at the site, which was later dampened down. Police said power had been restored and most road closures lifted. Injuries were not reported.
The cause of the fire was not reported. The source records that around 8,800 litres of oil at the site were allowed to burn off rather than being extinguished directly.
- Fires involving oil filled high voltage equipment may have to be allowed to burn off rather than extinguished directly, which can extend the response and the outage.
- A single substation failure can have wide knock-on effects, disrupting traffic signals, public buildings and retail trading across a large area.
- Clear coordination between fire service, police and the network operator is needed to manage evacuations, road closures and public information during extended outages.
Published 2026-09-20. Written from public reporting. Descriptive, not investigative. See the data accuracy disclaimer.