A spark gap system for a surge voltage arrester of the magnetically quenched type is composed of a stack of superposed plates each of which is provided with a recess which defines an arc chamber and a pair of spaced electrodes therein and between which an arc can be struck and lengthened by the magnetic field. The pairs of electrodes in adjacent arc chambers are electrically connected in parallel, and an arrangement of ducts which provide an inter-communication between adjacent chambers permit the ionized gas formed by an arc in either chamber after being lengthened to pass to the other chamber to assist in striking an arc in the latter chamber as the arc in the first-mentioned chamber is extinguished. The arc is thus enabled to be transferred back and forth between adjacent arc chambers until the current has been reduced to such an extent that no further arc can be sustained.