Attempted cable theft causes explosion at Saltney Ferry substation in Flintshire

What happened

North Wales Police said an attempt to steal an electric cable from a substation on Saltney Ferry Road in Saltney Ferry, Flintshire, caused an explosion. The force's Community Safety East team said this happened at about 10pm on the Thursday before a report published on 1 June 2020. Police said the attempted theft caused an explosion, blew the power and probably injured the thief, and warned that this type of theft is very dangerous. The report did not name the network operator, did not say how many properties lost power or for how long, and did not confirm any injury or arrest.

Contributing factors

Attempted theft of an electric cable from the substation, according to North Wales Police. No other cause was reported.

Lessons learned

1. Attempted theft of cable at a live substation can cause an explosion and loss of supply.
2. Signs of entry or tampering should be treated as a possible live electrical hazard until the equipment is made safe.
3. Operators and police should record theft attempts so that repeat targets can be identified.

Source

leaderlive.co.uk