PORT DICKSON: Some 5,000 households and business premises near here had to endure a 30-minute power cut following an explosion at a substation caused by a thief trying to steal electricity cables.

Port Dickson OCPD Supt Aidi Sham Mohamed said the areas affected by the incident in Ambang Kota on Tuesday afternoon were Site C, Chuah and Bukit Palong.

"We received a call from the public of an explosion at the substation located behind a petrol station.

"When my men reached the scene, they found that the perimeter fence had been cut open but they did not find anyone inside the substation," he told reporters.

Supt Aidi Sham said eye witnesses saw a man rushing out of the substation moments after the explosion.

"The suspect's shirt was partially torn and burnt. He got on a motorcycle and rode off," he said.

He added that checks at the Port Dickson Hospital later showed that a man had sought treatment for burns.

"The man suffered serious burns to his entire face and 20% of his body.

"He was immediately transferred to the Tuanku Ja'afar Hospital in Seremban as his injuries were serious," he said.

Supt Aidi Sham said police believed the suspect was a 27-year-old married man with previous criminal record for theft and drug related case.

Checks by a Tenaga Nasional team later showed that several components at the substation had been stolen.

The explosion at the Ambang Kota substation also caused supply to another 16 substation to be cut off.

Supt Aidi Sham said the case was being investigated under section 380 of the Penal Code for theft which provides a jail term of up to 10 years upon conviction.