Fire on Thunderton Place in Elgin causes power outage for several businesses
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SEVERAL businesses in Elgin have been affected by a power outage caused by a fire.
Bins and a phone cabinet at the top of Thunderton Place, outside The Ditsy Teacup and Room to Bloom, were set on fire in the early hours of Sunday, June 12.
The damage caused to the cabinet has left many businesses in the town centre without internet or a phone connection. There is no timescale for when either will return, but some businesses expect to be without until Friday.
The fire brigade were called out to the fire on Sunday morning after alarms at TK Maxx were set off.
A Scottish Fire and Rescue Service spokesperson said: “We were alerted at 4.35am on Sunday, June 12, to reports of a BT junction box on fire at the junction of South Street and Thunderton Place in Elgin.
“Operations control immediately mobilised a fire engine to the location and firefighters extinguished the fire.
“Crews left the scene after ensuring the area was made safe.”
A Police Scotland spokesperson said enquiries into the matter are ongoing.
Openreach engineers are currently working at the cabinet and said it's a "matter of top priority" for them "due to the number of businesses affected".
The bins set on fire belonged to The Ditsy Teacup and Room to Bloom. The latter has internet still, but the former is out.
"We are closed tomorrow as usual, however if you are trying to call for bookings or enquires then please be advised our phone lines are down," a Facebook post from The Ditsy Teacup read.
"Some delightful person set our bins on fire in the early hours of this morning and burnt the junction box which has cut comms all around us."
Belvoir are without internet and most staff were forced to work from home today, while TK Maxx was fortunately unaffected by the smoke – which got as far as its stairwell.
Businesses as far away as Elgin Youth Café, on Francis Place, have been affected by the outage. BT engineers said the cabinet can cater for people up to 700 metres away.
Tina Mainland, of Elgin BID, who have also been left without internet, said: "We've had quite a few businesses get in touch with us.
"Most are able to remain open but will be unable to accept card payments due to the internet outage.
"We are hoping this will be sorted as soon as possible, but for the time being we are asking people to keep coming out and to bring cash with them."
