Substation fire causes thousands of homes and businesses to lose power in Blackpool

The outage was first reported at 11.18am (Tuesday, April 7) following a fire at substation near Morrisons in St Anne's Road, Squires Gate.

The power cut has hit homes and businesses around Squires Gate and Marton Fold, affecting thousands of people working from home during the lockdown.

Fire crews from South Shore and St Annes are at the scene, where they are being assisted by Electricity North West engineers.

A fire service spokesman said: "Two fire engines from South Shore and St Annes have been called to a fire involving a substation on St Annes Road, Blackpool.

"Firefighters are using two breathing apparatus, one hose reel, dry powder extinguishers and a ventilation unit.

"No injuries have been reported."

The fire service said "it is too early to tell" whether the fire had been started deliberately.

A spokesperson for Electricity North West said: “A fault at the local substation near Morrisons off Squires Gate Lane in Blackpool at 11.06am caused a power cut to 7,208 customers.

"Our engineers attended site immediately and worked alongside the local fire service who attended following reports of a fire.

"We have been able to restore power to 2,837 customers in just over an hour and a further 689 customers by 1.15pm.

"Engineers are still onsite working hard to restore power to the remaining customers.

"We understand the impact of being without power, especially during these difficult times, but our engineers will work to get everyone back on as soon as possible."

Just last week, Electricity North West reassured residents in the region that power supplies are set to remain reliable despite the increased number of people working from home.

The assurances were made after Electricity North West challenged national newspaper reports which warned households to brace for blackouts as a result of the coronavirus pandemic, with the company labelling such reports as 'simply not true'.

"In an extremely difficult time where people are working from home or self-isolating, people are reliant on electricity more than ever," said Steph Trubshaw, Customer Director for Electricity North West.

"Our teams of engineers have been identified as key workers by the Government in recognition of the critical role they play for all of us.

"They’re working hard, as they always do, to keep the power flowing 24/7, 365 days a year," Steph added.

"We want customers to rest assured that all jobs have been risk assessed and that any work that they see us carrying out is essential work to keep power flowing to homes, businesses and hospitals across the North West."

The following post codes are affected:

FY4 2RP, FY4 2RX, FY4 2RN, FY4 2RT, FY4 3RS, FY4 2RJ, FY4 2RL, FY4 2RW, FY4 2BF, FY4 2DW, FY4 2NL, FY4 2PX, FY4 2PY, FY4 2PZ, FY4 2QG, FY4 2QJ, FY4 2QQ, FY4 2QS, FY4 2QY, FY4 2RA, FY4 2RE, FY4 3SF, FY4 4RA, FY4 1JD, FY4 1JE, FY4 1JH, FY4 1JJ, FY4 1JL, FY4 1JP, FY4 1JQ, FY4 1JW, FY4 1JG, FY4 1TL, FY4 2EY, FY4 2HE, FY4 2HF, FY4 1JR, FY4 1JS, FY4 1JU, FY4 1LA, FY4 1LB, FY4 1LJ, FY4 1JF, FY4 2EX, FY4 2EE, FY4 2EF, FY4 3JR, FY4 2DZ, FY4 2EA, FY4 2EB, FY4 2ED, FY4 2EJ, FY4 2EL, FY4 2EP, FY4 2ET, FY4 2FB, FY4 2HG, FY4 2HH, FY4 2HL, FY4 2HP, FY4 2HQ, FY4 2HR, FY4 2HS, FY4 2HW, FY4 2JA, FY4 2JD, FY4 2QR, FY4 3NS, FY4 3NX, FY4 3NY, FY4 3PA, FY4 2EG, FY4 2EH, FY4 2EQ, FY4 3QD, FY4 3QE, FY4 3QA, FY4 2RB, FY4 3QB, FY4 3PH, FY4 3QF, FY4 3QG, FY4 3RU, FY4 3PQ, FY4 2LG, FY4 2LH, FY4 2LQ, FY4 2LS, FY4 2JW, FY4 2LJ, FY4 2LL, FY4 2LN, FY4 2LW, FY4 2LF, FY4 2LP, FY4 2LX, FY4 2LY, FY4 2NA, FY4 2QW, FY4 2LR, FY4 2LZ, FY4 2QN, FY4 2QP, FY4 3PP, FY4 2ND, FY4 3QJ, FY4 3QL, FY4 3QN, FY4 3QQ, FY4 3QW, FY4 3RE, FY4 3RF, FY4 3PJ, FY4 3PL, FY4 3RG, FY4 3RH, FY4 3RJ, FY4 3RQ, FY4 3RW, FY4 3SB, FY4 5DF, FY4 5FG, FY4 3QH, FY4 3QP, FY4 2JH, FY4 2JQ, FY4 2JT, FY4 2JU, FY4 1QN, FY4 1RA, FY4 1RB, FY4 1RF, FY4 1RJ, FY4 1TD, FY4 2NT, FY4 1QY, FY4 1RE, FY4 1LN, FY4 1LP, FY4 1LQ, FY4 1LW, FY4 1TE, FY4 1LR, FY4 2HY, FY4 2DT, FY4 2DU, FY4 2DX, FY4 2DY, FY4 2HZ, FY4 2JF, FY4 2JJ, FY4 1PW, FY4 1QJ, FY4 1QU, FY4 1RG, FY4 1RH, FY4 1TJ, FY4 2PW, FY4 2QA, FY4 2QB, FY4 2QD, FY4 2PS, FY4 2PT, FY4 2PU, FY4 1RN, FY4 1SS, FY4 1ST, FY1 1HJ, FY4 1SU, FY4 1SY, FY4 1TG, FY4 1NS, FY4 1RR, FY4 1RS, FY4 1RT, FY4 5DS, FY4 5DU, FY4 5DX, FY4 5EE, FY4 5EF, FY4 5EG, FY4 5EH, FY4 5EJ, FY4 5EL, FY4 5EQ, FY4 5JA, FY4 5GY, FY4 5HJ, FY4 5HY, FY4 5HZ, FY4 5JB, FY4 5JQ, FY4 5EN, FY4 5EP, FY4 5ER, FY4 5EW, FY4 5LJ, FY4 5DG, FY4 5DL, FY4 5DN, FY4 5PP, BL1 1AB, BL6 6JA, FY4 5DH, FY4 5DJ, FY4 5DT, FY4 5DW, FY4 5FJ, FY4 5FP, FY4 5FZ, FY4 5HE, FY4 5HH, FY4 5HL, FY4 5HW, FY4 5JD, FY4 5JE, FY4 5JF, FY4 5JG, FY4 5JH, FY4 5LR, FY4 5OR, FY4 5QD, FY4 3SA, FY4 5DY, FY4 5FD, FY4 5LS, FY4 5NA, FY4 5QJ, FY8 2SQ, FY8 2TS, FY8 2SL, FY8 2SG, FY8 2SJ, FY4 1QW, FY4 1SN, FY4 2NH, FY8 2FX, FY8 2ST, FY4 3QZ, FY4 3RA, FY4 3RB, FY4 3RD, FY4 3LY, FY4 3LZ, FY4 3NA, FY4 3NB, FY4 3NE, FY4 3NF, FY4 3NG, FY4 5BR, FY4 5AU, FY4 5AY, FY4 5AZ, FY4 5DZ, FY4 5EA, FY4 3RL, FY4 1PR, FY4 1PT, FY4 1PU, FY4 1PP, FY4 1SA, FY4 2PL, FY4 2PN, FY4 2PP, FY4 1PX, FY4 1QD, FY4 1QE, FY4 1PN, FY4 1QB, FY4 1HX, FY4 2NB, FY4 2PQ, FY4 2QE, FY4 2QF, FY4 2QH, FY4 2FH, FY4 2LA, FY4 2LU, FY4 2PB, FY4 2PE, FY4 2PF, FY4 2JY, FY4 2JZ, FY4 2LT, FY4 2PJ, FY4 2PA, FY4 2PG, FY4 2PD, FY4 2NE, FY4 2NF, FY4 2NG, FY4 2NQ, FY4 2NJ, FY4 2PR, FY4 2QL, FY4 1DR, FY4 1RD, FY4 1RQ, FY4 2JE, FY4 2JX, FY4 2LB, FY4 2NP, FY4 2NS, FY4 2NX, FY4 2NY, FY4 2JP, FY4 2JR, FY4 2JL, FY4 2JN, FY4 2RD, FY4 2JG, FY4 2HN, FY4 2TS, FY4 3AW, FY4 3RN, FY4 2FD, FY4 XXX, FY4 3PG, FY4 3PN, FY4 3PS, FY4 3PT, FY4 3PR, FY4 3PW, FY4 2NR, FY4 2PH, FY8 2SR, FY8 2SS, FY8 2SU, FY4 1NP, FY4 1NR, FY4 1PH, FY4 1PS, FY4 1RP, FY4 1DH, FY4 1DQ, FY4 1NG, FY4 1NJ, FY4 1NN, FY4 1NT, FY4 1NW, FY4 1NX, FY4 1OX, FY4 1RL, FY4 1TH, FY4 5ED, FY4 3JQ, FY4 3JD, FY4 3JE, FY4 3JF, FY4 3JG, FY4 3JJ, FY4 3JP, FY4 3LE, FY4 3JB, FY8 2SF, FY8 2SN, FY8 2SW, FY4 2FE, FY4 2DP, FY4 5EB, FY4 2RG