Well, we just arrived home (Derby Hill Crescent/Featherstone Avenue) - turned into the street (in my sisters' car - Thanks Sis!) - and saw many lights on in our estate! YAY!
Unfortunately two blocks are without walkway lights (no lighting at all outside all front doors (apart from a 3rd of my block) not good, and one or two stairwell lights are off but this might be due to wrong timed/set timers or something, but ALL homes at least now have Electricity back.
HURRAH!
A neighbour says this happened over an hour ago (restored) but due to lack of communication, between us, I did not know this earlier, when posting.

I hope all other areas/those who were still without, earlier this evening, now have their power back also?

A few more photos for those who didn't make it down there (plus more here)

Sorry for those who suffered more from lack of electricity. I must say i was concerned we'd have to add a dash to the maternity ward on top of everything in the middle of it, but not required.

Been a busy few hours. Anyone witness the big crash on Waldram Park Road last night (around 10pm)?

Thanks for the pics Rob (and Snazy)

We actually drove past the Church and alleyway to the bridge (on Forest Hill School side of the tracks) and saw the fire being fought, at approximately 9:30am this morning (along with many other people, on the streets) this morning, and it looked truly horrendous (especially as it started around 2 hours before) so felt very bad for those living closest.
Hopefully they are all safe and well (and have been for a while) in their homes and/or beds, tonight, along with all the rest of us.

Good Night Forest Hill/Sydenham and all other areas affected AND TY again, to the Emergency Services (esp. the FIRE DEPARTMENT!!!) & also, the Electricity Power Supply Company/ies who got us all back "on"
(hopefully everyone is back on now?)

From YouTube and Sydenham Forum:
http://youtube.com/watch?v=epTFsaMe6uo

Power came on for me around 9pm after 12 hours without power. A great way to get people along to Forest Hill Day which I really enjoyed today, even if the Forest Hill Society were not allowed a stall - but maybe that's for another thread.

Yup the closure of Waldram Park Road was the greeting I got on the way home from the theatre on Sat night. Focus looked in a very bad way. Assuming someone was hit or hurt.

Very strange crash.

Mine came back on at 2140, at the town end of Dartmouth Road. I'd been away since Friday morning. 14 hours off? Gah, bye-bye freezer.

Quite a few modern freezers will maintain a good enough temp for up to 24 hours.
Everything ruined or just prefer not to take chances ?

Well, my chest freezer could hardly be called modern!

But you're right, I'm pretty sure all bar the top and bottom layers, and stuff like ice-cream that oozes away, will be fine. I had a quick look in there last night just after the power came back on and it seemed OK.

Aaaah fair play then. Better safe than sorry eh.
These things always happen when the freezer is full.

Our power was destined to come back on in a few hours, the freezer was almost empty lol

I look forward to hearing what the cause was though, sure went up!

Fire crews still there !!

apparently called back as the oil is still hot

[Link Here]

I heard a few people say they heard a loud screeching noise before the explosion, so I wouldn't be surprised to hear that one of the generators seized up and set fire to the oil.

on a personal note, it was quite cool to see my photo appear on the newsshopper site and to be contacted by the Mercury for photos! Look out for my name in the papers (for a good reason)

These are transformers, not generators.
There are no moving parts, and the oil is there to convect the heat away - like in car engines.

If the insulation breaks down then this short circuit will cause a lot of heat - maybe the screech was oil vapour venting off, before the oil eventually caught alight.

2 questions:
why wasnt the deterioration of the insulation picked up by routine maintenance?

why didn't the safety systems shut the transformer down when it detected that the power out had dropped/oil temperature risen?

After all, firemen's' lives were put at risk clearing up this mess.

Cheers for that Rob, and well done on the pic being published :D
Went past there at lunch time and saw loads of flashing lights and though,.... not again lol.

I hope its not poor maintainance thats caused this, as I would be inclined to agree with Perryman regarding risking the safety of fire crews.

.....and in the midst of it all we pulled of Forest Hill Day.

Thistleblower

By the word "we" I am assuming you are one of the organisers of the Forest Hill Traders Association. If you are I must congratulate you and the rest on a very successful day.

And a huge raspberry to the organisers for denying the Forest Hill Society a stall.

Yes I was surprised The Forest Hill Scociety did not have a stall. Are you saying they were not allowed one.?????

yes, that is correct. The Forest Hill Society was not allowed to have a stand on the day (and not for the first time).

We are hoping that this will be changed as it is frankly rather odd to have "Forest Hill Day" and not allow the Forest Hill Society to have a presence (although I can tell you that a lot of us were there of course).

Why not?

see other thread.