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Substation fire in Selly Oak causes power cut | Substation fire in Selly Oak causes power cut |
(about 3 hours later) | |
About 50,000 properties lost power after a Birmingham substation fire. | |
Western Power Distribution said the fire on Tuesday evening broke out at a primary substation near Battery Park, Selly Oak. | Western Power Distribution said the fire on Tuesday evening broke out at a primary substation near Battery Park, Selly Oak. |
Homes and businesses in Edgbaston, Selly Oak, Harborne and Bournville were among those affected by the power cut. | Homes and businesses in Edgbaston, Selly Oak, Harborne and Bournville were among those affected by the power cut. |
It led to the temporary closure of Bristol Road between Bournbrook Road and Harborne Lane as traffic lights were also affected. | It led to the temporary closure of Bristol Road between Bournbrook Road and Harborne Lane as traffic lights were also affected. |
University generators | |
London Midland said trains were suspended between Birmingham New Street and Longbridge because of the fire at Selly Oak, but services were operating as normal on Wednesday morning. | London Midland said trains were suspended between Birmingham New Street and Longbridge because of the fire at Selly Oak, but services were operating as normal on Wednesday morning. |
Western Power, which handles electricity distribution for the Midlands, said power was lost at about 20:20 GMT on Tuesday and the vast majority of properties had supplies restored by 22:30 GMT. | Western Power, which handles electricity distribution for the Midlands, said power was lost at about 20:20 GMT on Tuesday and the vast majority of properties had supplies restored by 22:30 GMT. |
It said generators had been given to the University of Birmingham, where parts of the campus were still without supplies at about 08:00 GMT on Wednesday, but power had been restored to all other properties in the city. | It said generators had been given to the University of Birmingham, where parts of the campus were still without supplies at about 08:00 GMT on Wednesday, but power had been restored to all other properties in the city. |
About 26,000 of them had their supplies back within three minutes, Western Power said. | About 26,000 of them had their supplies back within three minutes, Western Power said. |
A spokesman added that two 132,000 volt cables at the substation were damaged by the fire and said investigations into the cause would take place later. | |
He said: "We want to apologise for the inconvenience. We understand it is difficult, especially as it was into the evening. | He said: "We want to apologise for the inconvenience. We understand it is difficult, especially as it was into the evening. |
"I would praise the work from our team and the fire service, who were there very quickly and were very co-operative with us." | "I would praise the work from our team and the fire service, who were there very quickly and were very co-operative with us." |
West Midlands Police said there was nothing to suggest the fire was suspicious. |