Londoners facing 'growing menace' from exploding pavements

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Pedestrians face a growing menace from exploding pavements caused by electrical faults, it was claimed today.

Startling figures reveal almost 80 pavements blew up or caught fire in London between 2010 and 2015.

Labour members of the London Assembly accused power companies of 'putting lives at risk' because of poor maintenance.

Pavement in flame in Piccadilly in July 2014 Credit: Twitter/@ChrisHawkswell

Labour said figures from the Health and Safety Executive show 40 electrical faults involving fires or explosions last year.

Some of them were captured in mobile phone footage taken by passers by.Assembly members called on power companies to spend more money replacing old cables and junction boxes.

Video: Couronne/Youtube from July 2014, Piccadilly, central London