AN electrical fire caused a WGC bank to be evacuated this afternoon (Thursday).

Firefighters were called to Howardsgate at around 1pm, following reports of a burning smell at HSBC bank.

Two fire engines from WGC station and one from Hatfield rushed to the scene, and extinguished a small fire caused by a water leak dripping onto an exposed piece of wiring.

The water caused electricity to arc from the wire to a metal screw, and firefighters used a CO2 extinguisher to put out the sparks.

WGC fire station commander Rad Bristow said: “We mobilised three appliances to a smell of burning at HSBC bank, following a water leak.

“There was quite a large area of arcing between a wire and a screw, with localised burning.

“The building was evacuated by the bank and we used a carbon dioxide extinguisher to put out the sparking.

“An HSBC engineer is currently immobilising the electricity.”