CONFUSION surrounds the cause of a fire that left thousands of Southampton homes without power

Thick black smoke poured across the Harefield ward of the city with emergency services blocking off West End Road.

The blaze destroyed a garage, summer house and two wooden sheds at a property formerly used as a cattery.

According to Hampshire Fire and Rescue Service, the fire was caused by an electrical fault within a substation which then spread to fencing and a nearby outbuilding last Sunday morning.

Traffic had to be diverted via Wynter Road, and according to SSE, approximately 2,000 properties were left without power.

However, has asserted that the did not start within the substation, but instead it started in an outbuilding behind it.

A spokesperson for the company said: “SSE is working with Hampshire Fire & Rescue Service to establish the cause of the fire and subsequent power cut.”

Speaking to a Daily Echo reporter at the scene Hightown Fire Station commander, Paul Lawler said emergency services had initially been called at about 10.30am.

When firefighters arrived, the fire was “well alight”.

He said: “Three outbuildings have been destroyed.

“We are not sure what the cause is, but a fire investigation team is on the scene.

“Nobody was hurt or no animals.

“No houses were involved. It has been confirmed that an electrical substation was damaged.”