MORE than 200 homes are still without electricity following a power surge in Boscombe on Friday evening.

Residents were evacuated from their properties after the electrical surge sparked several fires. 

Police closed Walpole Road and Hamilton Road while numerous crews dealt with the incident. Properties in St Clements Gardens were also affected.

Over 40 properties in Walpole Road were inspected by firefighters after residents reported their appliances had blown, with smoke filling their homes.

Around five fires were reported shortly after 6.30pm.

Ten fire engines, as well as an aerial appliance and a support unit, tackled a roof fire in a block of flats in Hamilton Road.

British Red Cross emergency response volunteers helped evacuate affected residents, who were seen carrying bedding and pet carriers.

Boscombe Baptist Church provided shelter for those unable to return to their homes.

Bournemouth council staff also assisted those who were evacuated and provided overnight accommodation for five families.

Jane Portman, managing director, is now urging people to return home "as soon as possible" so SSEN engineers can inspect their properties before restoring power.

“Our staff were on site yesterday evening, supporting the evacuation, assisting with the rest centre and helping vulnerable people. We arranged overnight accommodation for five families and will do so again this evening, should that be necessary," she said. 

A spokesperson for SSEN said a fault on the high voltage network caused around 470 customers to lose their supply yesterday.

Around 270 are still without power, which is expected to be restored by midnight following safety checks at each property.

The spokesperson said "really good progress" was being made by engineers, and power will be restored in stages.

"Following yesterday’s incident at St Clements Gardens, Walpole Road and Hamilton Road, SSEN has been working through the night with the emergency services and other partners to support its customers who may have been affected," the spokesperson said.

"Since the initial incident call, SSEN has worked continuously with all of the responding agencies to ensure the safety of the community and to restore electricity supplies to as many customers as possible.

"Following initial investigations, SSEN believe the incident was caused by equipment failure in the local high voltage substation.  What caused the piece of equipment to fail is not yet known and investigations are ongoing. 

"As of 11.30pm yesterday, SSEN safely restored power to approximately 200 customers and there are currently around 270 customers who remain off supply. SSEN has developed a plan to restore these remaining electricity supplies and additional engineers and support staff have been mobilised to ensure this is done as soon as possible.

"SSEN will be checking the integrity of the electrical installation at each property before restoring supplies and will need access to each property to complete these essential safety checks.  SSEN is encouraging property owners and customers to make themselves known to SSEN staff on site to provide the necessary access. This will ensure that the required safety checks are completed to help engineers restore supplies as soon as possible, and a mobile generation unit is on site and ready to reconnect supplies to the remaining properties as soon as all safety checks have been completed. 

"To support those customers affected, a mobile catering van has been deployed to provide free food and drinks and a welfare van is also on hand to provide extra support to those customers still off supply, both located outside St Clements School.  SSEN has also been proactively contacting its priority services customers to offer extra support where required.

"Customers should contact SSEN by calling 105 or make themselves known to SSEN’s team on the ground if they have any related ongoing concerns."

Ward councillor Chris Wakefield is urging all residents affected to visit the free food truck for hot drinks and something to eat.

“Some vulnerable people have been affected by this,” he said.

“These people don’t have the extra money just to go down to the shops and buy more food if their fridge has broken down.”

One of those affected by the power surge is a single mother with no income, he said.

Both he and council leader John Beesley spent time with her this morning.

The Daily Echo spoke to a number of affected residents at the scene yesterday.

Caterina Marinelos, who lives in Hamilton Road, said: “I noticed the lights were flickering, and then I saw an explosion in my cupboard by the entrance. We noticed next door had smoke coming out, and all the neighbours said we needed to get out.

“We’ve lost some of our belongings and money in the fire. We were supposed to move next week. We won’t be able to return home tonight.”

Linda Ni’man said her daughter and son-and-law, who live in Hamilton Road, had their oven and fridge blow up following the power surge.

“My husband’s a GP in Walpole Road. He doesn’t know if anything’s been affected there. He’s concerned about the server in the GP practice, which could affect appointments," she told the Daily Echo on Friday.

“We’ve been told we have to wait here because a spark could set off something worse.

“My daughter’s neighbour’s television has blown up too.”

A spokesperson for Dorset and Wiltshire Fire Service said at 8.20pm on Friday: "Dorset & Wiltshire Fire and Rescue Service is currently inspecting over 40 properties in Walpole Road, Bournemouth after a power surge apparently sparked faults in electrical consumer units.

"The first calls were received shortly after 6.30pm (20 October), with crews from Redhill Park and Springbourne called to a property that had filled with smoke. Together with a crew from Westbourne, they are now investigating similar issues in homes along the street, with residents being asked to move to safety outside until the checks are complete.

"The road has been closed as a precaution, and Dorset Police and the British Red Cross emergency response volunteers are on scene to support the evacuation and help those affected - the service is also working with Bournemouth Borough Council on contingency plans. Engineers from the electricity board are on site to isolate the affected electric supplies and make repairs as necessary.

"Also believed to be connected to the same power surge is a roof fire at a block of flats in Hamilton Road, which is being tackled by crews from Christchurch (two), Poole (three), Ferndown, New Milton (two), Swanage and Ringwood, together with the aerial appliance from Westbourne and a support unit from Hamworthy.

"Since the 999 call received at 6.46pm, everyone from the flats has been accounted for, and the fire is now contained, although crews are expected to remain on scene for some time."