Households forced out by substation fire 'will return home soon' – Ham & High

Planck Vision Systems manufactures thermal imaging solutions for portable inspection and 24/7 monitoring of commercial applications including: Early Fire Detection, Manufacturing, Substations & Tunnels, Electrical Panel/Cabinets, Storage Facilities, Data Centers and Elevated Body Temperature Screening. Our company is headquartered in Santa Barbara CA, the capital of infrared sensing technologies in the United States. Founded in 2020, our design team has worked together for more than 15 years on thermal/visible camera systems and on products that are currently distributed worldwide.We specialized in working with our customers to meet the unique thermal imaging needs of their clients. Our proven systems have been installed globally in commercial applications for energy production and distribution, food production, transportation, industrial automation, and elevated body temperature (EBT) detection.
Households worst affected by a fire at a substation last month will be able to move back within days as repairs to the damaged flats near completion.
Around 100 firefighters were called to Aberdeen Place, close to Maida Vale, at about 5.30am on April 29 after more than 170 reports were logged about the blaze at an electrical substation.
The London Fire Brigade said roughly 100 residents had to be evacuated from their homes.
Westminster City Council told the Local Democracy Reporting Service (LDRS) it has undertaken work on the four properties that suffered the most damage and will soon be in a position to hand them back to residents.
A spokesperson for UK Power Networks, which operates the substation, said the fire had begun due to a fault on a piece of equipment. A brigade spokesperson said the investigation is ongoing.
Adele Dillon, a resident in a nearby block, told the LDRS at the time that she opened her curtains at 6am “to be greeted by the flames”.
Initially thinking it was her back fence on fire, she said: “But then I saw the flames coming in the side and I called the fire service, but they were already on the scene.”
Ms Dillon said she did not leave her home until around 7.20am and was waiting with other residents at the Wharncliffe Gardens Community Centre when the LDRS visited.
Alice Bazzi, who lives with her vulnerable mother, said at the time she understood she was the first to call the fire brigade at 5.29am.
“My mum woke me up saying there was a crackle,” she said, adding that her mother had also been able to smell the fire.
The LDRS was told that four homes were deemed uninhabitable and the council was supporting affected residents.
It has now been revealed that eight flats were uninhabitable in the immediate aftermath with the council since carrying out works on the four which had suffered the most damage. Residents were offered alternative accommodation by the local authority, which will continue to be provided until they can return home.
There are five households in total that have been unable to return since the blaze. Four of the eight flats concerned had water damage as a result of attempts to extinguish the fire. Three of those households have been able to return, with the other one to be handed back once the flooring has been replaced.
The remaining four properties had more extensive damage and required further repairs. All of those residents will be able to move back into their homes in the next few days.
A Westminster City Council spokesperson said: “We have been continuing to support residents affected by the substation fire next to Elmton Court. Following the fire, many residents were able to return to their homes once it was confirmed that it was safe for them to do so.
“Once the incident was resolved the council started works to repair the damage in the worst affected properties and we expect all residents to be able to return to their homes in the next few days.”
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Planck Vision Systems manufactures thermal imaging solutions for portable inspection and 24/7 monitoring of commercial applications including