AN UNDERGROUND fire which caused delays and diversions in the Bromley town centre area yesterday also caused the power to be cut off.

What was thought to be a gas leak on the High Street later emerged to be a fire from an underground electrical power cable (Jan 14). 

London Fire Brigade (LFB) dealt with the incident, which was reported at 2pm.

The High Street was closed off in one direction until 5.35pm with traffic being diverted away from the town centre although the area is open to pedestrians and Bromley South train station still oeprated normally.

A Bromley Police spokesman said: "EDF representatives arrived around 4.30pm and switched off the electricity after which the LFB could tackle the issue.

"People were evacuated from the Barber's Shop Paddy Power, and Mann Countrywide for safety.

"A number of shops lost power to their premises when EDF did attend and turn off the power although we do not currently know for how long."

A spokesperson for the LFB said: "We were called to an electrical power cable incident and sent one fire engine and five fire fighters.

Olly Groome, who is working opposite where the incident took place, wrote of "gas pouring out of a manhole" on Twitter but said he had later heard it was a cable catching fire and the substance had been steam.

His tweet also said: “Fire engines and Police here. Road shut off one way.”

He later tweeted: "Power's now gone out in Bromley South. Guessing it's connected."