Police and fire service launch investigation after ‘third-party damage’ to electrical supply at Top Barbers & Lymingtan’ on Lymington High Street cuts power to 712 homes and businesses

A police investigation has been launched after a fire and damage to an electricity cable in a shop cut off more than 700 Lymington properties for over four-and-a-half hours.

Firefighters responded to a call-out reporting a basement blaze at Top Barbers & Lymingtan on High Street at 2.20pm on Sunday.

Crews from New Milton and Beaulieu found smoke throughout caused by a damaged electrical supply.

This saw them call out SSEN engineers to isolate the supply and make the scene safe, with police also attending to provide traffic management.

An SSEN spokesperson said: “SSEN engineers found damage caused by a third-party, and fire and rescue services asked them to disconnect the power supply for safety reasons.

“The third-party damage to the cable resulted in 712 local homes and businesses being without power from just after 2pm.

“By working through a process of switching, repairing and reconnecting, SSEN was able to safety restore electricity to customers in stages throughout the afternoon, with all being back on supply by 6.40pm.”

SSEN engineers were at the scene, outside Top Barbers & Lymingtan, on Wednesday, with a section of pavement blocked off and dug up.

A Hampshire police spokesperson said: “We were called by colleagues from Hampshire Fire and Rescue Service at around 2.50pm on Sunday 13th April to reports of a fire at a commercial address on Lymington High Street.

“Officers attended and an investigation has been launched alongside the fire service to establish the full circumstances.”

The A&T contacted Top Barbers & Lymingtan, which remained closed on Wednesday, but the business declined to comment.

Further power outages were reported in nearby areas of Lymington on Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday, but it is unclear whether they were connected with Sunday’s incident.

These included one in the Gosport Street area on Wednesday, with around 19 supplies cut off from around midday.

An entry on SSEN’s online Power Track resource put this down to a fault on its underground supply network. The issue was resolved by 4.30pm.