Almost 30,000 homes and businesses on Sydney’s upper north shore are without power after a fire in a substation earlier today.

Power distributor Ausgrid has said some 28,000 customers are without power in a large area centred on Hornsby and extending to Hornsby Heights, Asquith, Normanhurst, Thornleigh, Waitara and Wahroonga.

A woman and a baby trapped in a lift due to the blackout have now been freed. Westfield Hornsby shopping centre has been affected by the multiple power cuts with lights out across the mall.

Traffic lights are blacked out on the A1 Pacific Highway in the affected area. People in the local Event Cinemas have said the power went out in the middle of a film leaving them in the dark.

This smouldering power substation is to blame for the mass power outage across Hornsby & The Hills districts. 26,000 homes & businesses, including Westfield, left in the dark. @9NewsSyd pic.twitter.com/TAjkB04DcH — Tiffiny Genders (@tiffgenders) February 13, 2019

The “Fair Dinkum” power has failed here in Hornsby 🙁 — paul.m (@pauldotm) February 13, 2019

Due to a power outage in the greater Hornsby area Event Cinemas Hornsby is currently closed. We will provide an update as information becomes available to us.



For any enquires, please visit https://t.co/dfFnWRrUPV https://t.co/JGCa47O5yO — EventCinemasHornsby (@EventHornsby) February 13, 2019

“A fire in the cable basement of the Hornsby zone substation has cut power to customers in parts of the Upper North Shore and Hills District,” Ausgrid said on social media.

“Crews are assessing the level of the damage before commencing work to restore power”. safely.”

The company has said emergency services and Police have attended the fire.

Ausgrid have given no time frame for restoring power.