Exeter fire LIVE: Hundreds of homes left without power as huge blaze erupts

A National Grid Electricity Distribution spokesperson said: “We are aware of a fire at our electrical substation, with emergency services and our engineers in attendance.

We'd like to thank the local community for bearing with us as our teams work to restore supplies as quickly and safely as possible to around 400 customers still affected.”

The National Grid substation in Fore Street, Exeter, plays a key role in distributing electricity across the city.

Located in a densely built-up area, it is surrounded by shops, homes and businesses.

The site is secured and monitored due to the vital infrastructure it supports.

Any disruption at the substation could have significant consequences for local power supplies.

In a post on X, Devon and Somerset Fire and Rescue Service said the blaze was "causing lots of smoke in the area".

It added: "Please keep your windows and doors closed if you live in the area.

"You may also experience some disruption to your electricity supply."

Six fire engines have been sent to the incident, along with a command support unit from Honiton.

The cause of the fire has not yet been confirmed.

More than 400 properties are without power as fire crews tackle a blaze at an electrical substation in the centre of Exeter.

Devon and Somerset Fire and Rescue Service was called to the scene off Fore Street shortly after 6am on Sunday.

Crews are working to bring the fire under control and protect nearby properties, which have been evacuated, officials said.

The National Grid said 405 homes were without power on Sunday morning. Power had been restored to 491 homes.

The provider said the outage was caused by "third party damage" to its network, with power expected to be restored to all properties by 12pm.