02 July 2010 12:58 Arsonists risk serious injury in senseless attack on Nottinghamshire substation

Arsonists endangered their own lives and also the electricity supply to Central Networks customers by setting fire to a substation in Cotgrave, Nottinghamshire.

Engineers attended the scene on Hollygate Industrial Park following a call from the Nottinghamshire Fire and Rescue Service, with engineers switching off power to make the area safe.

The attack caused two industrial customers to lose supply for over 10-and-a-half hours while engineers worked to rebuild the damaged substation and install vital switching equipment.

Phil Wilson, Customer Operations Manager at Central Networks, said: "This kind of reckless behaviour is beyond comprehension. Setting fire to a substation is incredibly dangerous and could have caused an explosion affecting the surrounding area. Whoever did this could easily have been seriously injured or even killed.

"To do this sort of thing for fun is both idiotic and senseless and far from worth rising your life."

Central Networks, which supplies power to 9.4 million people from the Lincolnshire coast to the Welsh borders, works closely with the charity Crimestoppers, which is offering a £1,000 reward for information leading to the successful prosecution and conviction of those responsible.

Anyone with information about the arson attack can call Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555 111.

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Notes to editors:

• Central Networks brings power to 4.9 million customers across central England through 133,000km of underground and overhead cables and via almost 97,000 substations;
• Central Networks covers an area from the Peak District in the north to parts of Bristol in the south, and from the Welsh Borders to the Lincolnshire Coast.
• Crimestoppers is the only charity dedicated to solving crimes and taking criminals off the streets. Around 17 people are arrested and charged every day as a result of information given to Crimestoppers. One person is charged with murder every five days, as a result of information given to Crimestoppers.

For further information contact:

Victoria Blake on 02476 181304