By Lucy Billington-Groom and Sophie Sandberg
A great electrical substation fire following an explosion left 45,000 Leicester homes and businesses without power this morning.
The fire broke out near Ravensbridge Drive, close to Abbey Park.
There were reports of 20-metre-high flames and huge plumes of smoke billowing east, towards the A6.
Police in New Parks asked locals to keep all doors and windows closed.
The fire service received multiple calls at about 10:45 this morning.
They said that they are working with a Western Power engineer on site and about 8,800 litres of oil is being allowed to burn off.
There have been evacuations across the area including Beaumont Leys Library, and shops along the A6 were evacuated and closed for the day.
“We could see the smoke all the way from Bede Island and came here to see what was going on and all we could see was black smoke” said Mark Fereday, an eye-witness at the scene.
No official statement has been issued but the fire service has repeatedly said everything is under control.
