POWER CUT: Customers face 36-hour wait for power after major cable fire

7:05pm Monday 20th July 2009 in News

ELECTRICITY engineers were still struggling tonight to restore power to many thousands of customers whose supply was cut off following major fire damage to high voltage electricity cables.

EDF Energy has warned work to fully restore supplies could take more than 36 hours to complete.

Thousands of people across Bexley, Dartford and the Orpington area lost their electricity supply, with shops, offices and Bexleyheath's Cineworld, forced to close.

The company said vandals may have been responsible for the fire which broke out on a cable bridge in Dartford at 12.47pm today.

The bridge carries the cables across a waterway behind the Arriva bus garage in Central Road, Dartford.

EDF Energy Networks engineers are currently on-site working closely with Kent Fire Brigade.

EDFsaid it has nearly 100 employees working on the incident.

It added: "Our teams will be working through the night, including at the site."

A company spokeswoman said: "Our priority is restoring customer supplies as quickly as is safely possible.

"However, this is a complex and difficult situation and the bridge needs to be safe enough for our engineers to begin to carry out repairs and then lay and join new cables to the network.

"We expect this work to take at least 24 to 36 hours, maybe longer, although we will try to restore supplies to as many customers as we can, as soon as possible."

She added: "However, it is likely there will be periods of further interruption until the full restoration work is complete."

The company promised: "Staff in our call centres are endeavouring to contact vulnerable customers who may be affected.

"We will also be providing generators for key sites where possible."

EDF said the locks on the security gates at each end of the cable bridge appeared to have been broken open.

It says four major electricity circuits have been damaged in the blaze, as well as damage to one of the bridge's concrete supports.

Supplies to some areas were restored gradually during the afternoon, using other routes, but there are still large numbers of people without electricity tonight.

As well as working on-site with Kent Fire Brigade, EDF engineers are also liaising with local council officials and the Kent and Met. police forces.

The spokeswoman said: "We do appreciate people's patience and apologise to everyone affected."

She added: "Tampering with the electricity network is extremely dangerous, and in this case has caused considerable damage and major inconvenience to many thousands of people who have been left without electricity supplies."

People are urged to listen to local radio stations for the latest information.

The EDF Energy emergency number is 0800 028 0247, although the situation is unlikely to change for some time.

Bexley police say they are working with Bexley Council and other agencies to ensure the safety and wellbeing of Bexley residents.

Emergency services and hospitals are working as normal and additional police patrols are taking place across Bexley borough.

The London Fire Brigade has advised people using candles because they have no power, to take particular care and never leave them unattended.

Bexley Council is trying to ensure that disruption to essential services is kept to a minimum.

And Bexley Care Trust (NHS) is making sure vulnerable people under its care are kept safe.

People with concerns about their health should continue to call their local health services as they would normally do.

If your GP is affected by the power failure, call NHS Direct on 0845 4647.

For out of hours enquiries continue to call Grabadoc on 020 8319 3030.

Comments(53)

missmilf09 says...
7:18pm Mon 20 Jul 09

So we have got bored school children which think its funny to play about with fire and inconvience everybody, lets hope they find the people responsible!!!! Its a joke

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zoed319 says...
7:31pm Mon 20 Jul 09

im glad i've got 3 generators to keep us going and i also hope they catch the people that did this. it's the elderly and people with babies that i feel sorry for!!!!

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Craddna says...
7:33pm Mon 20 Jul 09

I wrote a comment on here earlier saying that i work for arriva and i saw the fire and spoke to EDF about the time frame and people were saying there was no fire and i was wrong. Now look

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Pete Beat says...
7:41pm Mon 20 Jul 09

get use to it, when the power runs out
black outs will be a daily thing
turn off now.

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maria1968 says...
7:46pm Mon 20 Jul 09

bored school kids? It's 1st day of hols? What will they do 2/3/4/5/6 weeks on!! Their parents kick 'em out of house no doubt. Hope they R all caught & dealt with in a serious manner - as well as the parents!!

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slooowdown says...
7:58pm Mon 20 Jul 09

missmilf your not single by any chance? lets go and grab a drink while the power is out

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missmilf09 says...
8:05pm Mon 20 Jul 09

sloowdown, sorry but it will be too dark to see you if there are no lights, thanks anyway xx

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junie says...
8:41pm Mon 20 Jul 09

omg you will all miss big brother

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grahamjellybabybrain says...
9:01pm Mon 20 Jul 09

Does anyone know if power to Colyers Lane is back on?

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slooowdown says...
10:23pm Mon 20 Jul 09

missmilf, i shall bring some candles, and let you wear my rather geeky cap which has lights in the front

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mumcabs says...
10:37pm Mon 20 Jul 09

If it was vandals that caused this fire then they are total scumbags because elderly and lonely people will have no lighting through the night, they'll have no television or won't be able to make themselves a hot meal and people with children (unless they have gas)can't cook their children's dinners. Shops and other businesses are losing money and vulnerable and/or ill people are left distressed and worried.

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vicki bromley says...
10:47pm Mon 20 Jul 09

its the first day of the summer holidays!!what is this country coming to?its the parents fault as well 4 letting children run riot, when caught they shouid go 2 prison, it has caused so much disruption and cost 2 local busineseS and times are very hard at the moment!!!!ALSO its the old i feel sorry 4 and people with young children- catch the tear aways please

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sharon wenham says...
11:11pm Mon 20 Jul 09

Name 'em and shame 'em.....These little shites need to be severely sorted. What are they gonna do next after the courts tell 'em what naughty kids they are and let them off with slapped botties??

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gazzaslimos says...
12:05am Tue 21 Jul 09

i drove round to where the work men are meant to be repairing the damage to find them all doing nothing but eating chips and drinking tea i couldnt believe my eyes just wish i had a camera with me

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junie says...
12:31am Tue 21 Jul 09

well it might have been there break they are human you know

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josephine. x says...
12:33am Tue 21 Jul 09

i've not had no problems with my electricty, and i live in stone, near dartford. - so thats great. - when dartford shops were closed today, i just went shopping at bluewater. - shops will prob, put prices up even higher now, to claim back 1-3 days loss of trade and any items that had to be thrown away. - i wonder how shops like icelands cope? lol. - my mother is in bexleyheath and she will not have electricty for 36 hours. - she is angry, - i would have thought more could have been done for people with children, disabilitys, old people and update people on the tv news channels, as there was nothing all day. - cheer up everyone, things could be worse. - happy i watched bb tonight. x

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Erebus says...
1:08am Tue 21 Jul 09

Junie, we have things called shifts. And I don't know about you but if its an emergency affecting a large amount of people I tend to crack on with my job. Ambulance drivers don't get to stop for a tea break. This powercut stopped all street lighting; making robberies, rape, crashes, accidents etc. way more likely than normal. Plus tons of parents with no ability to cook food for their kids if they are all electric (as many are now). Hospitals on generators and such. Basically I think there is a 'human' obligation to get it up and running without breaks if thats the case.

Power is back up in the Erith area now it looks like. Faster than EDF expected so thats good. I find it a bit amazing that there is no resilience for power, that they all go over some bridge to bypass a creek. Bit of a target for terrorists, idiots with a grudge or just plain stupid people. Although I find it a bit weird there have been a lot of fires started in the south east area over the years in key area's to cause the most problems (i.e. by train lines).

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robh33 says...
7:32am Tue 21 Jul 09

the authorities need to be more severe with these vandals and miscreants - ASBOs don't work, the holigans think they are status symbols!! Bring back the birch - that will make them think twice.

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VBScab says...
8:05am Tue 21 Jul 09

I find it extraordinary that a) a key link wasn't better protected and b) there seems to be no resilience. To have a single point of failure such as this is a pretty poor design.

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andy60103 says...
8:08am Tue 21 Jul 09

You lot do like jumping to conclusions! There is no evidence of bored children or copper thieves or vandalism. The gates would need bolt cutters if they were not left open by some careless inspector. Trying to steal copper cables carrying 100,000 volts would be suicidal. Could just as easily have been a cable fault. Erebus, the EDF workers should have been at home with wives and family. They are human and I am sure they were missing their evening meal by midnight when you posted.

I agree they could give more information and cables are a terrorism target but so is every pylon in the country!

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Pramac Man says...
8:32am Tue 21 Jul 09

well how ironic life is i work for a generator manufacturer and im powerless for a change!!! still have no power in bexley!!! how much longer? does anyone know?


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chrisholeinone says...
8:47am Tue 21 Jul 09

well i wondered how long it would be before the "left wing uman rights" brigade popped up!?
i hope they find amongst the charred remains a couple of still smoking bodies that way we are guaranteed they won't do it again!! no need for the birch, magistrates or any other time consuming and money wasting events.

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pnsirj says...
9:07am Tue 21 Jul 09

I just have to say this is all a bit ridiculous, I've heard customers on my travels saying how some of their exotic animals may now die due to the power cut lasting so long, those with lizards, snakes, various fish species etc because they are unable to heat or generate air to tanks. The eldery must be struggling and some will not be able to get certain resources set up. What I really must say is pathetic is that ALL of the Bexleyheath area is still out and yet ONE building seems to have electricity....EDF!! You'd think if they can get a site back up and running that other properties would be restored also.

For all without power, I hope normality is resumed soon!

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THEDARK says...
9:09am Tue 21 Jul 09

Sharon Wenham, I agree with you, the little darlings will get their pandies smacked and told don't do it again! (little tikes - or similar!) Josephine from Stone, what good are tv updates for people without power - doh!

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pinsirj says...
9:12am Tue 21 Jul 09

Power is now restored to the Bexleyheath area. How is everyone else doing who has been effected?

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THEDARK says...
9:17am Tue 21 Jul 09

have been told we will have power for 3 hours only today (9am - noon) in Brent area of Dartford, not sure about other parts. Anyone heard about anywhere else?

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paigemcdonagh says...
9:23am Tue 21 Jul 09

wait am i missing something here
how comes everything is assumed to be due to kids, no wonder the youth of today have no respect when there elders dont show it either. How disgraceful-how can you actually sit here and say these things, if someones found guilty of it fair enough, but dont assume this, im actually in shock by what i have read!!

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alfi la says...
9:32am Tue 21 Jul 09

I have not been affected by the power cut in Dartford. Must be hard to entertain the kids and cook etc.But its not cold,and snowing so there is some relief.As for the kids starting the fire..jumping the gun abit. Our justice system will let them off anyway. Must say what a pleasure its been driving to bexleyheath.Getting to work quicker than ever with no traffic lights working..theres a clue. If the council ever want to save power.There is a place in Sweden where they removed all signs and traffic lights after a 1 week power cut. Accidents reduced by half in a week.As people had to think about there actions at junctions (roadcraft).Rather than drive on auto pilot waiting for a light to change.

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pinsirj says...
9:34am Tue 21 Jul 09

Just reading in the Evening Standard that it was most likely down to "young children or cable theft"...so either or, up to you to decide. Unforutnately, most do assume it's children these days because of general experience, I don't think people meant it specifically, just make a generalisation on our society really.

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Shabitat says...
9:36am Tue 21 Jul 09

No power, no problem! I just opened all the windows and had a bonfire in a metal dustbin in my front room. Heat, light and I was able to cook some sausages! Thanks EDF, I have a chesty cough this morning but I don't put this down to the smoke, it's probably swine flu.

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DarrenW says...
9:36am Tue 21 Jul 09

Erith have lost power again. EDF are saying that some areas will be getting intermittent service over the next 3 days, in 3 hour stints twice a day. Our next period with electric will be between 3 and 6 this afternoon.

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pinsirj says...
9:47am Tue 21 Jul 09

There is more information on the edfenergy.com website for those who can access it. It explains the 3 hour supply rota a bit better and may apply to a lot fo you.

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Deepus says...
9:51am Tue 21 Jul 09

We got power back at 11.15 last night, but it has now gone again and will get it in the 3 hour stints already mentioned!

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Pramac Man says...
9:57am Tue 21 Jul 09

i can answer the question for the edf building in bexleyheath..... they have a back up stand by generator in case of mains failure. i sell alot to domestic users as well if anyone one is interested please message me.

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Maxxy says...
10:43am Tue 21 Jul 09

When in doubt on who did what, blame a chav!


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Xtine_90 says...
10:51am Tue 21 Jul 09

There is no excuse for not punishing the people that did this! Even if they are caught all they would get is a slapped wrist anyway and that is it! it is disgusting how can we deter people from crime when jails are a nice cosy little holiday camp. It annoys me even more because i'm 19 and they are giving people like me a bad name too.
I live in erith and have now got to wait till 3pm to have electric back on for 3 hours this is disrupting people's life's because nearly everything we do, electricity is involved. The goverment seriously need to sort out the way they are punishing people for crimes!!

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alfi la says...
11:20am Tue 21 Jul 09

this one will rub salt in.
Just been down to Dartford town centre,everthing is shut pretty much.But...But. the Council run car park ticket machines are working fine and taking your money. Lucky I did check before leaving my car. Feel sorry for anyone thinking Dartford had no power and gets a ticket today..Shame on you council..Machines should be covered to avoid problems...

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mr_dartford says...
12:44pm Tue 21 Jul 09

i've been asleep since sunday night as my alarm didn't go off monday due to this powercut. i'm left fending for myself without my daily fix of jeremy carl or my microwave.

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Maxxy says...
12:53pm Tue 21 Jul 09

Jeremy Kyle is dead

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josephine. x says...
1:15pm Tue 21 Jul 09

thanks for your comment - THEPARK - from dartford. - my mother has a small tv that can be charged up. so she did have a tv even without no electricty, and she could not find nothing on any news channels about the electricty cut off yesterday. - its silly to make a nasty comment without knowing the facts about anything, THEPARK. - i hope everyone gets their electricty on soon - for 24hours a day not just for 3 hours here and there. - how did people cope years ago without no electricty is what i wonder. x x

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liamishere says...
2:34pm Tue 21 Jul 09

Lukily i live near the power station and was given power at 2'0 clock this morning, and have had power ever since i have to say the way you are all taking this power cut is a bit over the top. i know its bad but think ofthose elderly and people with babies, it will be back on tomorow properly, so stop your moaning its fine

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poohbear says...
2:53pm Tue 21 Jul 09

liamishere wrote:
Lukily i live near the power station and was given power at 2'0 clock this morning, and have had power ever since i have to say the way you are all taking this power cut is a bit over the top. i know its bad but think ofthose elderly and people with babies, it will be back on tomorow properly, so stop your moaning its fine
Very easy to preach when you are now not having to cope without electricity!

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DartChav9033 says...
3:00pm Tue 21 Jul 09

Dartford Blitz..... Don't mention the war!

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fra19 says...
3:43pm Tue 21 Jul 09

liamishere wrote:
Lukily i live near the power station and was given power at 2'0 clock this morning, and have had power ever since i have to say the way you are all taking this power cut is a bit over the top. i know its bad but think ofthose elderly and people with babies, it will be back on tomorow properly, so stop your moaning its fine
Oh lucky you!!! I bet you had a moan yesterday though!!!!!

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MissBexleyheath says...
4:00pm Tue 21 Jul 09

Shabitat wrote:
No power, no problem! I just opened all the windows and had a bonfire in a metal dustbin in my front room. Heat, light and I was able to cook some sausages! Thanks EDF, I have a chesty cough this morning but I don't put this down to the smoke, it's probably swine flu.
This just made me laugh out loud! Quality! Although- sorry to hear you have a chesty cough!

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chrisholeinone says...
4:09pm Tue 21 Jul 09

our power has just come back on i guess for a 3 hour stint. just tried calling edf but not one phone line is connecting! does anyone happen to know if we are moving in 6 on and 3 off stints or on til 9 in the morning and then off for 6 until 3 in the afternoon/ their website is about as clear as mud and the postcodes they give include Da175!!! where is that?

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jay_of_light says...
5:08pm Tue 21 Jul 09

is anyone up for a bit of anarchy at the edf building to get things moving? (hopefully the accused chav's will turn up and we can issue two kinds of punishment at once).

Seriously though, does anyone know what hours the electrics will be on from and until?

You would have thought with all the cash we pay in our increased bills that they would be able to afford some kind of back up system. whats more is i bet they dont wish to pay out for any of the losses incurred by people. what about all the food thats going to go to waste in peoples fridges. It's a joke and we are paying for it. this is a serious matter andit needs to be addressed.

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taz8520 says...
5:33pm Tue 21 Jul 09

ELECTRIC OFF AGAIN GOING ON ROTA, SEE HERE>>> http://www.edfenergy
.com/media-centre/pr
ess-news/power-failu
re-dartford-area-5.s
html

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chrisholeinone says...
5:37pm Tue 21 Jul 09

posted earlier. i now think it's my phone line that is buggered up as the phone works elsewhere!
anyone with virgin media in barnehurst area and not getting a phone line? i suspect it's because of the constant power on/off

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pinsirj says...
6:14pm Tue 21 Jul 09

I think the phone issue is more to do with the masts themselves. We lost power to the mast at Bedonwell school and couldn't get signal on anything yesterday even though we did have electricity. You may find the signal weakens and strengthens from time to time depending on where your local mast is.

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maria1968 says...
7:39pm Tue 21 Jul 09

the reason that they are accusing kids is because they were seen and they got in used an AXE to get inside and started a fire - doesn't sound like kids to me? NOT!! Some people (parents) are so keen NOT to blame young kids who have nothign else to do because of absentee parents

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Pinkprincess10 says...
2:31pm Thu 23 Jul 09

maria1968, greenhithe says...
7:39pm Tue 21 Jul 09
the reason that they are accusing kids is because they were seen and they got in used an AXE to get inside and started a fire - doesn't sound like kids to me? NOT!! Some people (parents) are so keen NOT to blame young kids who have nothign else to do because of absentee parents

The above comment is ridiculas, how can you be blaming young kids for a major incident like this...... surely it should be the secruity of EDF that should be getting the blame, NOT YOUNG KIDS, i dont even think young kids would have the brains to even think about doing something like this, its alright you lot blaming kids for this, but wheres your proof????? Your all giving young kids a bad name for themselves like myself, when not all kids get it to trouble, u blame them all the time for eveything no wonder they do things to p*** you all off... Electrics back on now anyway so u can all chill out, i had no electric since monday morning and i never even got the 3 hours here and there that most people had, but unfortunately what can you do, you just have to get on with it and help over people were needed, instead of blaming everything on kids. Im probably younger then the lot of you and im acting older then u all ! Grow up your the ones thats acting like kids!

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Primavera125 says...
11:38pm Thu 23 Jul 09

O/k so many thanks to those engineers who restored service however how complex can it be. there are 2 ends to a cable track back to a suitable point cut back piece out and bingo temporary service. We do it in the telecoms world all the time and when you are dealing with a tunnel boring machine wiping out 10s of thousands of circuits the task is far more complex but we can restore service far quicker. I want to see an independent review into the restoration process and the reasons for delay. Yes I did lose all my food bashed my head in the dark kicked next doors cat by mistake woke up in the wrong bed and was late to work but on the flip side there were some funny moments
have fun and enjoy that buzzy stuff which is now available to all

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