Oxfordshire mast fire leaves 400,000 without TV signal

**4me2** · 13th May 2010

Oxfordshire mast fire leaves 400,000 without TV signal

The fire started near the top of the mast

About 400,000 homes have been left without television reception after an "intense fire" at the Beckley transmitter in Oxfordshire.

Firefighters said part of the structure was in danger of collapse following the blaze, which started at about 1400 BST.
Cable and satellite services and Five's analogue signal are not affected.
Engineers said the extent of the damage was being assessed, but said signals would be restored later on Thursday at the earliest.
Eyewitnesses saw smoke drifting from the top of the mast at about 1420 BST - when pictures went off - and reported parts of the structure falling off.

Digital switchover

A cordon was put in place around the site.
Matt Carlisle, of Oxfordshire Fire and Rescue Service, said: "It has been subject to quite an intense fire at the top, so there is a possibility that the structure may be weakened."
He said the cause of the fire, which started 150m up the mast, was not yet known.
Arqiva, which operates the site, said structural engineers were on site to inspect the mast.
Spokesperson Bruce Randall said: "We have been unable to assess the damage yet but we will do so throughout the evening.
"We will be working as quickly as possible to restore services if we can."
The Beckley mast transmits across Oxfordshire and parts of Wiltshire, Buckinghamshire and Northamptonshire.
Maintenance has been taking place on the mast in preparation for digital switchover in 2011.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/england/o...re/8680692.stm