Your Power Line Has Caught Fire or Exploded: What to Do Right Now

If an overhead power line near you has caught fire, sparked violently or exploded, call 000 immediately and stay at least 8 metres back. Every fallen or damaged conductor must be treated as live until a network crew confirms otherwise, whether or not a storm caused it. Here is exactly what to do in the first few minutes, and what happens after the crews arrive.

⚡ Quick Answers: Power Line Fire or Explosion

How far away should I stay? At least 8 metres from any fallen or visibly damaged overhead conductor, further if there is active fire or arcing.

Do I call 000 or the network operator first? Call 000 first for fire or injury, then report the fault to your network distributor so a crew is dispatched to the asset itself.

What if it's not near my house? Report it anyway. A damaged line can affect supply and safety well beyond the property closest to it.

Can I turn off my own power first? Yes, switching off your own main switch is safe and sensible, but it does not make the overhead line itself safe to approach.

How long until it's fixed? It depends on the extent of damage and crew availability, but expect it to take priority given the safety risk involved.

Does insurance cover damage this causes? Often yes for damage to your property, though claims and cover vary, so it is worth checking with your insurer directly.

1. Your first move: distance, not investigation

The instinct to get a closer look, or a photo, at a sparking or burning power line is exactly the wrong one. Network safety rules require anyone near a fallen or unidentified overhead conductor to stay at least 8 metres away until it has been positively identified, isolated and earthed by an authorised crew. A line that looks dead or has stopped sparking is not confirmed safe just because it looks quiet, since both low and high voltage conductors can be involved and tangled together without any visible difference from the ground.

2. Call triage: emergency services versus the network operator

If there is fire, visible injury, or anyone in immediate danger, call 000 first, full stop. Once emergency services are on the way, or if the situation is serious but not immediately life threatening, report the fault directly to your network distributor so an asset crew is dispatched: Ausgrid on 13 13 88, or Endeavour Energy on 131 003. If you are not sure which network actually covers your address, our postcode checker confirms it in seconds.

3. Why it is not always storm damage

A line catching fire or exploding is often assumed to be storm related, but plenty of cases have nothing to do with weather at all. Equipment failure in aging infrastructure, vegetation making contact with a live conductor, a vehicle strike on a pole, or insulation that has simply deteriorated over years of UV exposure can all cause a sudden arc, fire or explosion on a completely clear day. Treat the hazard the same way regardless of the cause: stay back, and let an authorised crew assess it.

4. What crews actually do on arrival

Authorised network crews follow a strict sequence before anyone goes near a damaged line: identify the conductor and confirm whether high voltage is involved, isolate the relevant section, prove it is no longer energised using approved test equipment, then earth and short circuit it before any physical work or removal begins. This sequence exists specifically because a line that looks obviously dead can still become live again from another connected section if it is not properly isolated first, which is exactly why bystanders are never able to shortcut this process themselves.

5. What happens to your property's supply in the meantime

Expect your supply to be out for as long as the affected section needs to stay isolated for crew safety, which can mean a longer outage than a routine fault while the network prioritises getting the hazard made safe before restoring power. Once the network has cleared and reconnected the asset itself, if the fire or fault also damaged equipment on your side of the point of attachment, such as your service line, consumer mains or switchboard, you will likely need a Level 2 ASP electrician for a make safe and reconnection before power is restored to your property specifically.

6. After the fire: what your property might need checked

Heat from a nearby line fire can affect more than just the conductor itself. Check your point of attachment, service fuse and any nearby cabling for heat damage, discolouration or melted insulation once it is safe to look, and have a Level 2 ASP electrician inspect anything that looks affected before assuming your own installation came through unscathed. If any rectification work is carried out on your side of the connection, you should receive a Certificate of Compliance for Electrical Work (CCEW) confirming it was tested and verified before energising again.

How High Demand Electrical helps

High Demand Electrical provides emergency make safe and reconnection services across Sydney for exactly this kind of incident, assessing heat or fire affected service lines, consumer mains and switchboards once the network has cleared the immediate hazard. As a Level 2 Accredited Service Provider across Ausgrid, Endeavour Energy and Essential Energy network areas, we coordinate directly with the distributor on reconnection timing rather than leaving you stuck between two separate processes. We are one of Sydney's most trusted Level 2 ASPs for urgent, safety critical work, servicing homes and businesses across Sydney's West, South West and the Sutherland Shire.

Power Line Fire FAQs (Sydney)

Should I try to photograph the damage for insurance before crews arrive?

Only from a genuinely safe distance of at least 8 metres or more, and never by approaching for a better angle. Your safety comes before documentation, and crews will record the damage themselves as part of the job.

What if the fire has already gone out by the time I call?

Report it regardless. A line that has stopped visibly burning can still be live, damaged and dangerous, and the network needs to assess and isolate it properly either way.

Does this fall under storm damage cover if there was no storm?

Not automatically. See our guide on home insurance and electrical storm damage claims for how non weather related incidents are typically treated, and confirm the specifics with your own insurer.

Who pays for repairing the damaged line itself?

Repair of network owned overhead lines and poles is the distributor's responsibility, while any damage on your side of the point of attachment is generally the property owner's. See Overhead Service Line Down or Damaged: Who to Call for how ownership is split.

If a power line has caught fire or exploded near your property and you now need your own electrical supply assessed or reconnected, get an emergency make safe quote from High Demand Electrical or call 0402 559 777. A site assessment confirms exactly what is needed once the network has made the immediate hazard safe.

Related reading: Overhead Service Line Down or Damaged, Level 2 Electrician for Storm Damage and Emergency Repairs and What Actually Causes Switchboard Fires.