Electrical substation explosion which destroyed wall near Dundee's Overgate shopping due to 'component failure'

An explosion that blew apart an electrical substation metres from the entrance to a shopping centre was caused by a component failure.

Emergency services were called to the Overgate in Dundee at around 10.40am on Wednesday, February 26, 2025.

Bricks were strewn around the substation, and a cordon was erected, with no damage reported to the mall.

The Scottish Fire and Rescue Service was deployed to the centre, and shops were trading as normal.

Following an investigation, SSEN Distribution say the cause was the failure of a component that connects high-voltage cables to one of the three transformers.

They say robust and rigorous studies have found all other similar components across their network are safe following the incident.

A SSEN Distribution spokesperson: “We have completed the investigation into the incident at a substation in Dundee city centre on February 26, 2025.

“We have concluded the cause was the failure of a component that connects high-voltage cables to one of the three transformers.

“We have since carried out rigorous studies and testing on all other similar components across the network to ensure their safety, and no further issues have been found.

“We’re sorry for the disruption this incident caused, and we thank people in the affected area for their patience while the detailed, thorough investigation has taken place over the past few months.

“Safety is our number one priority, and we’d like to reassure customers that we have robust procedures in place to ensure the operational safety of the network.”