(Video) Blackout in New Territories West after electric cable caught fire

Yuen Long, Tin Shui Wai, and Tuen Mun were on Tuesday night hit by temporary power outages after the CLP Power electric cables caught fire. The power supplies in the area are gradually resuming after 8pm. No injuries reported so far.

The electric cables and a transmission bridge at Wang Lok Street were in flames at 7.11pm with smoke painting the sky black after street lights were turned off by the outage. Some citizens said they heard multiple explosions. The transmission bridge collapsed soon after the fire.

The blaze was put off around 9pm. CLP Power said no one was injured, and apologized to affected customers, adding it is conducting urgent repair and will give power supply priorities to essential service providers including hospitals and railway.

Many housing estates, shopping malls, and hospitals had no power supply. Residents of Kingswood Villas in Tin Shui Wai spotted the fire burning fiercely through their windows while those at Fu Tai Estate in Tuen Mun said some of the floors went out of power.

Curious shoppers and diners all headed out to see what was going on as the outage took them by surprise. People were also dreaded by the thought of no air-conditioning amid the 30 degree Celsius weather.

The Fire Services Department received 56 reports of residents being stranded in an elevator between 7.19pm and 8.27pm during the blackout. The incidents scattered across Yuen Long, Tin Shui Wai, Fu Tei and Lau Fau Shan. 

The department also reminded citizens to stay calm and close the doors and windows if they are affected by the smoke from the fire or any irritating odors.

The Yuen Long District Office has opened the temporary shelters at Long Ping Community Hall and Tin Fai Road Community Hall for residents in need.

MTR said the power supply stopped at around 7.20pm, which affected stations and train tracks powered by MTR’s Tin Shui Wai substation and prompted a temporary suspension of train services between Tsuen Wan West and Tuen Mun Station of the Tuen Ma Line.

“The operations control center immediately activated a contingency plan and redirected power from the Kwai Fong distributing substation to the affected train tracks and stations,” the MTR said.

The railway operator said they have deployed additional manpower to provide commuters with assistance, and train services on the Tuen Ma Line resumed at around 7.55pm.

The Hospital Authority said that the power supply of the hospitals in the New Territories West Cluster was unstable. The accident and emergency departments of Tuen Mun Hospital, Pok Oi Hospital and Tin Shui Wai Hospital are still operating.

However, some emergency patients may need to be transferred to other hospitals. Non-emergency services and general outpatient clinic services were also affected.