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‘Sparks flying everywhere’ - Power out at holiday park after fire destroys electrical pole
The electricity pole on fire at Lords Lane, Bradwell. Photo: Paula Hunt - Credit: Archant
An electric pole explosion has left a leisure complex and holiday park without power.
The moment that the electricity pole begins to explode. One passer-by said that "sparks were flying everywhere". Photo: Paula Hunt - Credit: Archant
Norfolk Fire and Rescue sent a crew to Lords Lane in Bradwell, Great Yarmouth after receiving reports that an electrical transformer was on fire.
It arrived at the scene just before 9.30am on Tuesday, and used hose reel jets and a thermal imaging camera to quash the flames.
According to the owner of Burgh Hall leisure complex, Paul Southey, he was alerted to the fire by what sounded like a “firework display” going off outside his property.
Mr Southey, who lives above the complex restaurant, said: “We woke up to this loud noise which sounded like a firework display going off. All my alarms were blaring.
Lords Lane faced blockages this morning after a fire crew battled to put out the flames engulfing an electrical pole. Photo: Google - Credit: Archant
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“I went outside and saw that the pole opposite Burgh Hall was completely on fire. It’s since been burned through and all the cables are knackered.
“The fire brigade left about at about 10.30am, but we’ve still got no power and have been told it’ll most likely be out for the rest of the day.
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“Our concern is all the storage we have in our fridges and freezers - so we need it sorted as soon as possible.”
UK Power Networks said engineers were working “quickly and safely” to get the power up and running again.
Paul Southey said he woke up to "all his alarms ringing" at Burgh Hall this morning. Photo: Paul Southey - Credit: Archant
It said: “We are working to restore power to 20 customers in Bradwell following a fault on the overhead electricity network reported at 9.37am today.
“We appreciate how difficult it is to be without power and apologise for any inconvenience caused.”
One driver, who was on her way to the post office when she passed through Lords Lane, said the whole thing was “pretty terrifying”.
She said: “It was unbelievable, and actually quite scary.
“There were sparks flying everywhere, and it was so bright it was difficult to look at.
“We called the fire brigade as soon as we saw it, but they had already been alerted and were on their way.”
A manager at Burgh Hall Holiday Park confirmed that power was still out on site, and would be “for a while yet”.
