Nearly 1,000 homes in Gloucestershire experienced a power outage following a fault on an electricity pylon in Eastington.
Residents reported hearing a loud “explosion” just before their lights began flickering. One witness described the vivid colors of the blast as purple, blue, and orange, noting the incident caused burn damage to the power line and nearby trees but thankfully no fire.
Emergency services, including the National Grid and Gloucestershire Fire and Rescue Service, responded promptly to the incident, which occurred around 9:30 pm on Sunday, July 12. The Fire and Rescue Service confirmed that they were called out at 9:27 pm to check on a potential fire in a playing field near Bradestones Way. A single fire engine was dispatched from Stroud, but no fire was found.
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National Grid engineers worked diligently to make the site safe and restore power as quickly as possible. Power was fully reinstated to all 990 affected properties shortly before midnight, at 11:48 pm.
A spokesperson for National Grid expressed gratitude for customers' patience and for the assistance provided by the Gloucestershire Fire and Rescue Service.
The witness recounted the unsettling experience, saying, “I was in my kitchen when I heard the noise. Looking out the window, I saw the explosion and noticed the electricity flickering. It was a bit scary for me and my neighbors.”
Overall, the incident was managed efficiently with no injuries or fires reported, and power was restored promptly to the affected community.