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Reuters
Reuters
Business

Hong Kong fire leaves 20,000 households without power for 2 days

Emergency services personnel work to control a fire from a cable transmission bridge that caused a large scale electrical outage in Yuen Long district of Hong Kong, China June 21, 2022 in this screen grab obtained from a social media video taken June 21, 2022. West West Choi/via REUTERS

A fire in global financial hub Hong Kong has left 20,000 households without electricity for two days amid hot and humid weather.The city's government is requesting an investigation into the accident, which occured on Tuesday.

Large-scale power cuts are rare in Hong Kong.

Electricity supplier CLP Power said one of its cable bridges in the northern district Yuen Long had caught fire on Tuesday at 7 p.m., cutting power to around 160,000 customers. There had been no injuries, it said.

Emergency services personnel work to control a fire from a cable transmission bridge that caused a large scale electrical outage in Yuen Long district of Hong Kong, China June 21, 2022 in this screen grab obtained from a social media video taken June 21, 2022. West West Choi/via REUTERS

Power to essential services, including hospitals and railways, had been restored but two more days would be needed to restore supply to a remaining 20,000 customers, the company said in a statement.

The government said: "We understand that the power outage incident in this very hot weather has greatly affected the public, and we are deeply sorry for this." Hong Kong's forecast maximum temperature for Wednesday and Thursday was 31 degrees, with high humidity.

The government added in its statement that it had asked CLP Power to determine the cause of the accident and submit a report.

A construction worker walks next to a damaged cable bridge after a fire at the bridge led to a power outage, in Yuen Long district of Hong Kong, China June 22, 2022. REUTERS/Lam Yik

The education bureau said dozens of schools in the area had lost power and would need to suspend classes on Wednesday.

(Reporting by Farah Master; Editing by Bradley Perrett)

Construction workers and police officers are seen near a damaged cable bridge after a fire at the bridge led to a power outage, in Yuen Long district of Hong Kong, China June 22, 2022. REUTERS/Lam Yik
Police officers stand near a damaged cable bridge after a fire at the bridge led to a power outage, in Yuen Long district of Hong Kong, China June 22, 2022. REUTERS/Lam Yik
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