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Grid infrastructureUnited KingdomEIR-2668

Outbuilding fire spreads to substation at Clacton-on-Sea, Essex

May 2025Published 31 Oct 2026Responsible editor: Chief Editor

MinorThermal / fireProvisionalNext update 31 Oct
Estimated damageEstimated by the register's adjusterHow? Know the real figure?
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supply cut for about •• daysShown in the record →Full estimate

What happened

Fire crews were called to a fire in an outbuilding in Clacton-on-Sea, Essex. The fire quickly spread to a nearby fence and to an electrical substation. Firefighters tackled the fire quickly and prevented it spreading further, but the substation sustained some damage. The substation supplies power to a nearby holiday park, and the damage caused a temporary loss of power to the site. The fire service recorded the cause as accidental. The holiday park's general manager praised the crews for their prompt arrival and quick action, and the fire service said their response helped limit the damage and stopped the incident escalating further.

Contributing factors

Fire in an outbuilding spread to a nearby fence and the substation. The fire service recorded the cause as accidental; no further detail was reported.

Lessons learned

  1. Fire in a neighbouring outbuilding or fence line can spread to an electrical substation, so keep the area around substation perimeters clear and check that adjacent structures are not a fire route.
  2. Damage to a single substation can cut supply to a customer site, so operators should plan for temporary loss of supply to the sites they serve.
  3. Rapid fire-service attendance limited damage, so operators should maintain clear access routes and up-to-date emergency contact details for their sites.

More lessons on theft, arson and site security, outages, backup supply and restoration, emergency response and public communication, from every incident on the register.

Source

essex-fire.gov.uk

Other entries that name Essex

Published 2026-10-31. Written from public reporting. Descriptive, not investigative. See the data accuracy disclaimer.

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