STUDENTS and staff had to be evacuated from an Aberystwyth University building after a transformer explosion led to power cuts and hit the university’s IT systems.

Around 1,500 people were evacuated by the emergency services with firefighters using breathing apparatus, a thermal imaging camera and a ventilation system to battle the blaze in the Llandinam building just after 4pm on Monday.

The fire led to students from Penbryn being provided with food at the students’ union, with power not restored until around 10pm on Monday night and IT systems up and running again in the early hours of Tuesday morning.

The university’s online record and timetable system was restored before 10pm. Lectures took place as normal on Tuesday.

A fire brigade spokesperson said: “The fire in the 11-storey building was a result of an 11,000 volt inc­oming cable blown in the electric sub-station.

“Crews from Aberystwyth, Aber­aeron and Machynlleth isolated the mains supply and extinguished the fire using four breathing app­aratus, six hose reel jets, three fire extinguishers, a thermal imaging camera and positive pressure ventilation.

“As a safety precaution, 1,500 people were evacuated from the premises. Firefighters left the scene at 5.15pm.”

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