A system and method for fault location and isolation in an electrical power distribution network, where the network includes a plurality of switching devices provided along a feeder. The method includes detecting an overcurrent event in the network from the fault and interrupting the overcurrent event by opening and then immediately locking out or subsequently reclosing and testing the fault. A count value is increased in each switching device that detected the overcurrent event. A count and current (C&I) message is sent from each of the switching devices that detected the overcurrent event and then detected the loss of voltage upstream to an upstream neighbor switching device. Current measurements in the C&I messages, measured current by the devices and the counts values in the devices determine what devices are opened to isolate the fault.