Industrial Unit Fire Causes Power Outage for Hundreds in Dorset Village

A section of a Dorset village experienced a power outage while emergency services addressed a fire at an adjacent industrial facility. Firefighters were engaged throughout the night combating the inferno situated on the periphery of Shillingstone, with the incident reported at 18:00 GMT on Thursday. The electrical supply required disconnection, resulting in hundreds of residences losing power for over three hours. By Friday morning, a single fire engine remained at the location, with its crew actively extinguishing lingering hotspots. Dorset and Wiltshire Fire and Rescue reported that, during the peak of the event, personnel from six stations, six fire engines, and a water carrier were present on site. The fire service also stated that Scottish and Southern Electricity Networks (SSEN) had reinstated electricity by 22:00, and by midnight, the operational response had been reduced to three appliances. A representative for SSEN commented: “At the request of the fire service, Scottish and Southern Electricity Networks isolated supplies to around 460 customers in the Shillingstone area following a fire in a barn last night at around quarter to seven.” The statement continued: “Supplies were restored to residents who were not directly affected by this fire around three hours later. We’d like to thank people in the area for their patience and understanding while we supported the fire service’s response to this incident.” For further updates, BBC Dorset can be followed on Facebook, X (formerly Twitter), or Instagram. This content is subject to Copyright 2024 BBC, with all rights reserved. The BBC disclaims responsibility for the content of external websites and provides details on its external linking policy.