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Blast outside flats in Morecambe
A manhole cover and stone cobbles in the residents’ car park behind the three-storey block off West End Road were blasted into the air at around 8.50pm last night after an underground electricity cable failed.
Although some residents were in the vicinity and witnessed the explosion, nobody was close enough to be hurt, and there was no damage to vehicles in the car park.
Crews from Morecambe Fire Station were called to the scene and around 20 residents were evacuated for a short time.
There was no fire as a result of the blast, but firefighters cordoned off the car park while electricity and gas engineers investigated.
Watch manager Steve Brown, said underground electricity cables had “shorted out”.
“The manhole cover was blown a few feet in the air and some cobbles were also displaced,” said Mr Brown.
“We were assisted by police in making sure nobody went near the live cables and we were there for around two hours.
“Residents were without electricity for most of the night down that end of West End Road.”
It was reported that residents on Cedar Street were without electricity along with people living on West End Road from Clarendon Road to the roundabout meeting Balmoral Road.
Households on Coach Mews were said to be without both electricity and gas.
A spokesman for Electricity North West said: “There were 93 homes left without electricity and we turned off another 47 for safety reasons.
“Electricity was restored at 6.05am this morning using as a generator.
“Engineers will be working on site today to try and repair the cable so the generator can be removed.
“We apologise for any inconvenience caused.”
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Weather for Morecambe
Sunday 26 May 2013
Today
Sunny spells
Temperature: 8 C to 13 C
Wind Speed: 13 mph
Wind direction: West
Tomorrow
Light rain
Temperature: 9 C to 13 C
Wind Speed: 22 mph
Wind direction: South
